Adsorption, partition, ion exchange and chemical reaction in batch reactors or in columns — A review

Abstract The role of linear or non-linear adsorption, mass transfer kinetics, chemical reactions and ion exchange in column tracer experiments is qualitatively dealt with. The similarity of elution curves is emphasized even for very different phenomena. Some experimental procedures are proposed to point out the principal physico-chemical phenomenon which is responsible for the shape of the adsorption isotherm deduced from batch or column experiments.