Definition - What does retention time mean?
In chromatography, retention time (RT) is the interval between the injection of a sample and the detection of substances in that sample. It?s the time required for the solute to pass through a chromatographic column. It is the time that elapses after an injection of the sample for the analyte peak to reach the detector.
SureHire explains retention time
Retention time in chromatography, a highly accurate laboratory drug testing method, is exercised in function of the molecular characteristics of each compound. Retention time includes the Downtime and Adjusted Retention Time. The first is the same for all analytes in a given chromatographic system and the second is the time actually spent on the retention of a solute by a stationary phase. This is part of the internal process in laboratory drug testing using chromatography.
