The effect of particle-wall interaction on retentionratiosin sedimentation field-flow fractionation (FFF) is shownto be describable in terms of a semiempirical parameter
w having units of length. A method ofexperimentallydetermining the value of this parameter for a given systemis presented. It requires the determination ofretentionratios for a set of particle st
andards over a range offieldstrengths. The value of
w is simply obtained fromtheslope of a certain straight line plot of the retentiondata.Once determined, this parameter may be incorporatedinto the procedure for the determination of particlediameters from measured retention times to take accountof the effects of particle-wall interaction. Inprinciple,
w is independent of field strength
and is the samefordifferent FFF instruments providing they employ the samecarrier liquid
and channel wall material. Therefore,
wvalues have the potential to be universal system constantstransferable from one instrument to another.