https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.15099
Organic matter content of soil, sediment, or water determined by measurement of organic carbon as the ratio of mass of organic carbon/mass of solid or of water.
Notes:
- TOC is determined by oxidation of the organic matter into carbon dioxide (\(\ce{CO2}\)) after removal of inorganic carbon such as carbonate or hydrogencarbonate. TOC includes all the carbon atoms covalently bonded in organic molecules.
- Most of the organic carbon in water is dissolved organic carbon (DOC), with the remainder referred to as particulate organic carbon. In natural waters, TOC is composed primarily of nonspecific humic materials.