Pharmaceutical Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzers measure the level of organic molecules or contaminants in purified water. TOC analyzers are essential in the pharmaceutical industry for inspection of ultrapure water and evaluation of cleaning effectiveness. TOC analyzers use two types of detection systems, non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) and conductivity detectors.
There are several types of oxidation used to measure TOC including, photocatalytic oxidation, chemical oxidation and high-temperature combustion. TOC analysis can measure total carbon (TC), inorganic carbon (IC), total organic carbon (TOC), purgeable organic carbon (POC) and non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC).
Things to consider before purchasing a carbon analyzer or TOC meter include whether the carbon to be analyzed is organic or inorganic, the detection method, the software used for analysis, throughput needed and measurement sensitivity.