Industrial gases have become over a period of more than a century ubiquitous ingredients of our daily activities, e.g. metal fabrication, metallurgy, petrochemicals, food processing, healthcare, and many more. In 2006, the business generated globally with industrial gases exceeded the 50 billion US dollar volume. At The Linde Group, generations of scientists and engineers have been working in this fi eld, determining the physical and chemical properties, developing processes for the production, purifi cation and application of industrial gases, as well as their safe handling, storage and transportation. This book, written and compiled by numerous experts and edited by Dr. Wolfgang Haring, is an authoritative, accurate, and useful single-source reference for those who work in this industry, for students or simply for the users of industrial gases. Details are also offered concerning the historical background of these molecules.