Method for the isolation and/or purification of a defined quantity of nucleic acids from a nucleic acid containing sample, comprising at least the following steps: a. Contacting the nucleic acid containing sample with a defined quantity of a nucleic acid binding phase with the following characteristics: (i) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises nucleic acid binding ligands that comprise at least one protonatable group; (ii) the nucleic acid binding ligands are present on a support in a bound form; (iii) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises a surface with a low charge density, wherein the low charge density is achieved with one or more of the following characteristics: aa) the nucleic acid binding ligands, bound to the support, each comprise no more than one or two protonatable groups for binding the nucleic acids; and/or bb) the nucleic acid binding ligands are selected from the group of mono- and diamines; and/or cc) the support is coated with a mixture of nucleic acid binding ligands and dilution ligands, wherein the dilution ligands do not bind nucleic acids or bind the nucleic acids with a lower affinity than the nucleic acid binding ligands, and wherein the proportion of nucleic acid binding ligands compared to the dilution ligands is ≤ 50%, wherein the quantity of nucleic acids in the sample exceeds the binding capacity of the quantity of the nucleic acid binding phase used; b. binding the nucleic acids to the nucleic acid binding phase at a pH value (binding pH value) that lies below the pKa value of at least one of the protonatable groups; c. elution of the nucleic acids at a pH value that lies above the binding pH value, wherein a defined quantity of nucleic acids is obtained. a. Contacting the nucleic acid containing sample with a defined quantity of a nucleic acid binding phase with the following characteristics: (i) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises nucleic acid binding ligands that comprise at least one protonatable group; (ii) the nucleic acid binding ligands are present on a support in a bound form; (iii) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises a surface with a low charge density, wherein the low charge density is achieved with one or more of the following characteristics: aa) the nucleic acid binding ligands, bound to the support, each comprise no more than one or two protonatable groups for binding the nucleic acids; and/or bb) the nucleic acid binding ligands are selected from the group of mono- and diamines; and/or cc) the support is coated with a mixture of nucleic acid binding ligands and dilution ligands, wherein the dilution ligands do not bind nucleic acids or bind the nucleic acids with a lower affinity than the nucleic acid binding ligands, and wherein the proportion of nucleic acid binding ligands compared to the dilution ligands is ≤ 50%, wherein the quantity of nucleic acids in the sample exceeds the binding capacity of the quantity of the nucleic acid binding phase used; (i) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises nucleic acid binding ligands that comprise at least one protonatable group; (ii) the nucleic acid binding ligands are present on a support in a bound form; (iii) the nucleic acid binding phase comprises a surface with a low charge density, wherein the low charge density is achieved with one or more of the following characteristics: aa) the nucleic acid binding ligands, bound to the support, each comprise no more than one or two protonatable groups for binding the nucleic acids; and/or bb) the nucleic acid binding ligands are selected from the group of mono- and diamines; and/or cc) the support is coated with a mixture of nucleic acid binding ligands and dilution ligands, wherein the dilution ligands do not bind nucleic acids or bind the nucleic acids with a lower affinity than the nucleic acid binding ligands, and wherein the proportion of nucleic acid binding ligands compared to the dilution ligands is ≤ 50%, aa) the nucleic acid binding ligands, bound to the support, each comprise no more than one or two protonatable groups for binding the nucleic acids; and/or bb) the nucleic acid binding ligands are selected from the group of mono- and diamines; and/or cc) the support is coated with a mixture of nucleic acid binding ligands and dilution ligands, wherein the dilution ligands do not bind nucleic acids or bind the nucleic acids with a lower affinity than the nucleic acid binding ligands, and wherein the proportion of nucleic acid binding ligands compared to the dilution ligands is ≤ 50%, b. binding the nucleic acids to the nucleic acid binding phase at a pH value (binding pH value) that lies below the pKa value of at least one of the protonatable groups; c. elution of the nucleic acids at a pH value that lies above the binding pH value, wherein a defined quantity of nucleic acids is obtained.