Total Organic Carbon Analyzer
Facility Overview
The total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer enables quantification of the amount of total organic carbon (TOC), total inorganic carbon (IC), and total carbon in aqueous samples (TC). The EMES operates a Shimadzu TOC-L CSN Total Organic Carbon Analyzer within the Shimadzu Environmental Research Laboratory. The TOC-L utilizes a combustion catalytic oxidation method paired with a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) gas analyzer enabling complete oxidation of difficult to decompose samples and detection limits as low as 4 ug/L. Total organic carbon can be analyzed utilizing the non-purgeable organic carbon (NPOC) or the total carbon minus inorganic carbon (TC-IC) method. Total carbon and inorganic carbon may also be analyzed using standalone methods. The TOC-L is equipped with an OCT-L 8-port auto-sampler allowing continuous measurement of up to eight samples.
Sample Preparation
Samples should be collected and submitted in 40 mL glass amber vials with no headspace. Vials should be cleaned, triple-rinsed with deionized water, and baked at 550oC for a minimum of two hours prior to use. Samples should be refrigerated as soon as possible following collection and remain chilled until analyzed. If dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is to be analyzed samples should filtered at the time of collection. If filtration is not possible in the field sample should be filtered as soon as possible after collection.
User Fees
Analysis fees for the TOC analyzer are charged on an hourly basis. Routine analysis using the NPOC method takes approximately 15 minutes per sample. Calibration standard must be analyzed at the beginning of each day and typically requires 1 – 1.5 hours of instrument time. User fees for the TOC analyzer are charged at the following rates:
|
User Provided Labor |
EMES Provided Labor |
| Research
|
$17.25/hr |
$49.25/hr |
| Commercial
|
$31.74/hr |
$11.74/hr |
To be eligible for the User Provided Labor rate users must have been trained by the EMES staff and judged to be able to independently run the analyses from start to finish. Until a user is proficient in utilization of the GC-MS the EMES Provided Labor charge will apply. Samples not submitted in an analysis ready form will be charged a sample preparation fee.