An aromatic polycarbonate composition and articles made from same having less than 300 parts per billion each of ionic impurities, particularly Sulfate and Chloride ions prepared by devolatilizing the ionic impurites from a polycarbonate composition employing an aqueous medium of about 1% by weight based on the weight of the polycarbonate composition. Preferably the devolatilizing is carried out in an extruder during compounding the polycarbonate composition and preferably under a vacuum. Also, the extruded strands of polycarbonate resin are quenched in a water bath having a Sulfate and Chloride ion content of less then 300 ppb each.