Analysis of volatile compounds in water is greatly simplified by SIFT-MS, because the soft chemical ionization is robust to water and enables moist samples to be analyzed directly. This contrasts with GC and GC/MS approaches, where rigorous drying needs to be undertaken after extraction or purging and trapping. Using SIFT-MS, low ppb concentrations (in water) of hydrophobic volatiles (such as BTEX and low molecular weight halocarbons) are readily detectable without drying.