interstitial fraction

in chromatography
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03120
The interstitial volume per unit volume of a packed column. Defined by: ɛI = VI/X where V I is the interstitial volume and X the column volume.
Source:
Orange Book, 2nd ed., p. 100 (https://media.iupac.org/publications/analytical_compendium/)