| definition |
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Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis is a well-defined and
commonly used methodology that measures the carbon content of
dissolved and particulate organic matter present in water. Many
water utilities monitor TOC to determine raw water quality or to
evaluate the effectiveness of processes designed to remove
organic carbon. Some wastewater utilities also employ TOC
analysis to monitor the efficiency of the treatment process. In
addition to these uses for TOC monitoring, measuring changes in
TOC concentrations can be an effective "surrogate" for detecting
contamination from organic compounds (e.g. petrochemicals,
solvents, pesticides). Thus, while TOC analysis does not give
specific information about the nature of the threat, identifying
changes in TOC can be a good indicator of potential threats to a
system.
Additional information available at
"http://www.epa.gov/safewater/security/guide/
chemicalsensortotalorganiccarbonanalyzer.html"
[Summary provided by the EPA]
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