Yield, Speed and Convenience:

In all those methods in which a simultaneous quantification of the separated product is done, a quantitative recovery of the separated product is a must. Naturally, a method giving a higher yield is preferred. In cases where the yield is not high, the remaining portion may have to be recycled.

Speed of the separation is another critical parameter. Any technique that is awefully slow within achieving the separation goes in the background. Through properly adjusting the experimental parameters, it is sometimes possible to improve the speed of the separation process. Speed, as criteria, supposes great significance if the constituents of the mixture degenerate or decay. A classical instance is the separation of radionuclides along with extremely short half-lives. In that type of situation, speed becomes more important than the yield.

Literally, the convenience of a separation method is a very broad term. A method of separation should be such in which there might be little preparative chemistry before subjecting the sample to separation. A condition of separation should not be extremely stringent to the extent in which it might be hard to keep a control of the conditions. The product should be obtained in such a form in which it could be easily put to use without much chemistry. Therefore, the method can be an asset if it is easily put on-line operation or easily automated.