The isotherm is the result of the thermodynamics of the
system, and as such it is a fundamental measure. At
equilibrium, the adsorption and desorption rates balance
each other and the result is shown as the isotherm. With
knowledge of the isotherm, the effect of feed concentration
on capacity can be estimated and can subsequently act
as a guide in process design (e.g., allowing the choice
of concentrating the feed before applying it to the
chromatography column). Having isotherm data also gives
an indication of what effect to expect, as well as an estimate
of the robustness of the chromatographic step relative to
variation in feed concentration