Leaching (chemistry)
Extraction of some soluble substances from a solid material into a liquid / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Leaching is the process of a solute becoming detached or extracted from its carrier substance by way of a solvent.[1]
Leaching is a naturally occurring process which scientists have adapted for a variety of applications with a variety of methods. Specific extraction methods depend on the soluble characteristics relative to the sorbent material such as concentration, distribution, nature, and size.[1] Leaching can occur naturally seen from plant substances (inorganic and organic),[2][3] solute leaching in soil,[4] and in the decomposition of organic materials.[5] Leaching can also be applied affectedly to enhance water quality and contaminant removal,[1][6] as well as for disposal of hazardous waste products such as fly ash,[7] or rare earth elements (REEs).[8] Understanding leaching characteristics is important in preventing or encouraging the leaching process and preparing for it in the case where it is inevitable.[2]
In an ideal leaching equilibrium stage, all the solute is dissolved by the solvent, leaving the carrier of the solute unchanged.[1] The process of leaching however is not always ideal, and can be quite complex to understand and replicate,[6] and often different methodologies will produce different results.[9]