Moisture analysis covers a variety of methods for measuring the moisture content in solids, liquids, or gases. For example, moisture (usually measured as a percentage) is a common specification in commercial food production. There are many applications where trace moisture measurements are necessary for manufacturing and process quality assurance. Trace moisture in solids must be known in processes involving plastics, pharmaceuticals and heat treatment. Fields that require moisture measurement in gasses or liquids include hydrocarbon processing, pure semiconductor gases, bulk pure or mixed gases, dielectric gases such as those in transformers and power plants, and natural gas pipeline transport. Moisture content measurements can be reported in multiple units such as: parts per million, pounds of water per million standard cubic feet of gas, mass of water vapor per unit volume or mass of water vapor per unit mass of dry gas. Moisture content vs. moisture dew point Moisture dew point is the temperature at which moisture condenses out of a gas. This parameter is inherently related to the moisture content, which defines the amount of water molecules as a fraction of the total. Both can be used as a measure of the amount of moisture in a gas and one can be calculated from the other fairly accurately. While both terms are sometimes used interchangeably, these two parameters, though related, are different measurements. Loss on drying The classic laboratory method of measuring high-level moisture in solid or semi-solid materials is loss on drying. In this technique, a sample of material is weighed, heated in an oven for an appropriate period, cooled in the dry atmosphere of a desiccator, and then reweighed. If the volatile content of the solid is primarily water, the loss on drying technique gives a good measure of moisture content. Because the manual laboratory method is relatively slow, automated moisture analysers have been developed that can reduce the time necessary for a test from a couple of hours to just a few minutes. These analysers incorporate an electronic balance with a sample tray and surrounding heating element. Under microprocessor control, the sample can be heated rapidly. The moisture loss rate is measured throughout the process and then plotted in the form of a drying curve. Karl Fischer titration An accurate method for determining the amount of water is the Karl Fischer titration, developed in 1935 by the German chemist, whose name it bears. This method detects only