To remove absorbed molecules or particles from a surface, reversing the process of absorption.
From de- (prefix meaning to reverse) + sorb (from Latin sorbere, to suck in). The term emerged in 20th-century chemistry to describe the opposite of absorption, when substances release from surfaces.
Desorption is how scientists clean surfaces and recover valuable materials—it's literally the opposite of absorption, and understanding it helped develop everything from water purification to drug delivery systems that know exactly when to release medicine inside your body.
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