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# Kovats retention index

'''Kovat's retention index''' or simply '''Kovat's index''' is a method of quantifying the relative elution times of compounds in gas chromatography in such a way as to help positively identify the components of a mixture The method takes advantage of the linear relationship between the values of $log \left(t_r\text{'}\right)$ and the number of carbon atoms in a molecule The value of Kovat's index is usually represented by ''I'' in mathematical expressions It's applicability is restricted to organic compounds The Kovat's index is given by the equation
$I = 100 timesn + \left( N - n \right) frac\left\{log \left(t_\left\{r \left(unknown\right)\right\} \text{'}\right) - log \left(t_\left\{r \left(n\right)\right\} \text{'}\right)\right\}\left\{log \left(t_\left\{r \left(N\right)\right\} \text{'}\right) - log \left(t_\left\{r \left(n\right)\right\} \text{'}\right)\right\}$
Where;
$I =$ Kovat's retention indexn = the number of carbon atoms in the smaller alkaneN = the number of carbon atoms in the larger alkanet_r' = the adjusted retention time

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