Talk:Steam distillation

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Just a note: the article previously attributed the boiling point depression to colligative properties. Colligative properties generally apply to nonvolatile solutes, and as such lead to a boiling point elevation. The boiling point depression is related to the immiscible liquids contributing to the total vapour pressure as if each was the only liquid present. In this manner the total system can reach a combined vapour pressure equal to ambient at a temperature lower than the boiling points of the individual liquids, and thus the system can come to a boil. At least that's how I understand it. --199.126.26.202 01:48, 26 April 2006 (UTC)