The environmental market for process Total Organic Carbon (TOC) instruments is substantial, and is expected to continue to experience robust growth in the near future. There are several traditional analytical methods for TOC analysis, although actions by the US EPA have now allow for much more rapid innovation.

The same technology employed in laboratory TOC analyzers is used for process and on-line TOC instruments. All TOC instruments first acidify the sample to convert its total inorganic carbon to carbon dioxide, and then sparge the evolved carbon dioxide out for removal or analysis. Thus, the remaining carbon species in the sample are all organic.

Common techniques for analyzing this remaining TOC include combustion oxidation, UV/persulfate oxidation and photocatalytic (UV only) oxidation followed by non-dispersive infrared analysis of the evolved carbon dioxide. Combustion oxidation is typically the best for tough to oxidize compounds, including those that may be entrapped in particulates, and is primarily used for municipal wastewater and some industrial effluent applications. UV/persulfate oxidation uses a chemical reaction to magnify the effect of UV light interaction in the oxidation to carbon dioxide, and is good when moderate concentrations of TOC are present, such as when monitoring potable and surface water sources, and in lower-level industrial effluent applications. Photocatalytic oxidation is typically only used for applications with the lowest TOC levels, and is generally not used in environmental applications.

Until recently, it was difficult to break into the environmental TOC market with analyzers that utilized new oxidation or detection techniques due to the EPA method-specification system. However, in 2007, the EPA’s streamlining initiative adopted new rules providing greater flexibility. This led to GE Instruments’ InnovOx TOC analyzer, a significant new development in TOC analysis, which utilizes a supercritical water oxidation process.

Environmental market demand for process TOC analyzers comes from three main areas, the largest of which is industrial effluent monitoring. Companies that deal with chemicals and expel wastewaters of any type into the municipal drainage system in industrialized countries are increasingly required to limit the levels of pollutants in those waters. These regulations often lead to the need to monitor TOC levels. Municipal wastewater facilities often deal with the highest TOC levels and use combustion oxidation TOC analyzers, while UV/persulfate-based instruments are used for potable and surface water monitoring.

Worldwide demand for environmental process TOC analyzers is estimated to have been about $60 million in 2009. Although the recent global recession led to flat growth in demand last year, annual growth should return to the high single digits going forward due to the combination of new regulations and rapid industrial growth in places such as China.

Environmental Process TOC

Analyzers at a Glance:

Leading Suppliers

• Shimadzu

• Hach (Danaher)

• GE Instruments

Largest Markets

• Industrial Effluent

• Municipal Wastewater

• Potable Water Monitoring

Instrument Cost

• $5,000–$30,000