hold-up volume (quality) dead volume hold-up volume (quality) The hold-up volume is the volume of the mobile phase required to elute a component the concentration of which in the stationary phase is negligible compared to that in the mobile phase. In other words, this component is not retained at all by the stationary phase. Thus, the hold-up volume is equal to the retention volume of an unretained compound. [IUPAC] PAC, 1993, 65, 819 (Nomenclature for chromatography (IUPAC Recommendations 1993)) hold-up volume volume (quality)