Retention index

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-010290",
  "term": "Retention index",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "An index that places the retention of a sample component between those of two standard compounds that elute just before and just after it, calculated by interpolation. In the Kováts index for isothermal gas chromatography the standards are n-alkanes, the interpolation is logarithmic, and the index equals 100 times the carbon number of a hypothetical n-alkane with the same retention. Unlike raw retention times it does not depend on flow rate or column length, but it still depends on the stationary phase and the temperature.",
  "subject": "Analytical Chemistry",
  "see_also": [
    "retention volumes",
    "alkanes",
    "chromatography"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Orange Book, 2nd ed., p. 108 (https://media.iupac.org/publications/analytical_compendium/)",
    "PAC, 1993, 65, 819. 'Nomenclature for chromatography (IUPAC Recommendations 1993)' on page 844 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199365040819)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/retention-index/"
}