Abstract: Apparatus and processes for water impurity analysis and for impurity analysis of various other liquids as well. More particularly, the present invention concerns apparatus and processes for chemical oxidant and catalyst enhanced total organic carbon analysis of liquid samples for determination of the level of organic contamination of the samples. In particular the present invention concerns a novel reactor for TOC anlysis in which carbon, particularly organic carbon is oxidized to CO.sup.2 gas for further measurement by a CO.sub.2 gas detector, preferably a non-dispersive infrared analyzer. The invention also concerns a process for TOC analysis wherein by measuring the CO.sub.2 gas created by combining carbon with oxygen (either in the water, with a carrier gas of oxygen (O.sup.2), or a chemical oxidant, such as sodium persulfate, the carbon in the water sample is determined. A process and apparatus are employed for TOC analysis in which UV light having a wave length in the range of from about 3.8 to about 4.