What is the term for the process of separating wastes from body fluids and eliminating them from the body?

The term that best describes the process of separating wastes from body fluids and eliminating them from the body is excretion. This biological process is essential for maintaining homeostasis, as it helps regulate the composition of bodily fluids by removing metabolic byproducts and other unwanted materials.

Excretion specifically refers to the removal of waste products produced from metabolic activities, often involving various organs, such as the kidneys, lungs, and liver. By filtering blood and processing metabolic byproducts, these organs ultimately ensure that waste is expelled from the body, which is crucial for overall health and function.

While filtration is a part of the excretory process (particularly in the kidneys), it refers specifically to the physical separation of substances, not the overall elimination process. Absorption, on the other hand, involves the uptake of nutrients from the digestive tract into the bloodstream, and secretion pertains to the release of substances, such as hormones or enzymes. Thus, excretion is the most comprehensive term that captures both the separation and elimination of waste from body fluids.