2015 TOC Analyzer Survey Results
Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analyzers are a mainstay of environmental and quality control chemistry. TOC, a crucial metric in many processes, may arise from a combination of living or dead organisms or chemical contamination. Its measurement can serve as a surrogate for more difficult measurements or a screen for further analysis.
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Trevor Henderson BSc (HK), MSc, PhD (c), is the creative services director at Lab Manager. He has more than two decades of experience in the fields of scientific...
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Top 5 Questions You Should Ask When Buying a TOC Analyzer
- Is the TOC technology suitable for your specific application or water conditions? Many TOC technologies may be suitable only for waters with a narrow range of organic or inorganic contaminants.
- Are different models available to meet your current and future sampling needs (i.e. online, portable, laboratory)? Do these models use similar technology to simplify method transfer or data comparability from lab to online?
- Does the company offer the documentation and support necessary to help meet applicable industry or government regulations?
- What is the company’s level of experience supporting sales of TOC analyzers in your specific industry? Do they understand the unique challenges specific to your application?
- What type of service, applications, and technical support are available during and after the purchasing process?
Types of TOC analyzers used by survey respondents:
| Benchtop | 91% |
| Portable | 14% |
| Online | 7% |
Methods used by survey respondents to detect CO2:
| Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) | 67% |
| Direct Conductometric (Non-Selective Conductometric) | 11% |
| Membrane Conductometric Detection (Selective Conductometric) | 21% |
| Other | 4% |
Nearly 47% of respondents are engaged in purchasing a new TOC analyzer. The reasons for these purchases are as follows:
 | Replacement of an aging system | 55% |  |
 | Addition to existing systems, increase capacity | 12% | |
 | Setting up a new lab | 6% | |
 | First time purchase | 14% | |
 | Other | 13% |
Top 10 features/factors respondents look for when purchasing a TOC analyzer:
| Accuracy and performance of results | 91% |
| Ease of use | 76% |
| Warranty | 68% |
| Service and support provided by vendor | 65% |
| Low maintenance costs | 57% |
| Ease of installation | 45% |
| Speed of analysis | 42% |
| Continuous analysis and rapid display updates | 40% |
| Real-time continuous monitoring, no time-consuming batch measurements | 38% |
| Unattended auto-calibration monitoring | 37% |
For more information on TOC analyzers, including useful articles and a list of manufacturers, visit www.labmanager.com/TOC-analyzers