ABSTRACT
One part in 1,000,000,000,000,000 parts! Believe it or not, analytic measurements down to this detection level (parts per quadrillion) are quickly becoming routine for certain classes of organic compounds (e.g., the poly chlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and -furans). With the lightning-fast progress being made by chemists, physicists, and other scientists we can only expect this trend to continue. Consequently, everyone involved with water in the food and beverage industries-either as an ingredient, product, or process chemicalwill be forced to learn more about this often complex matrix, from its origin through the paths it travels and the contaminants it meets along the way to the point where it enters the production facility.
