An ESR spectrometer is employed to measure the oxygen concentration in a sample material. Electron paramagnetic resonance is produced in a free radical mixed with a standard material of known oxygen concentration. The phase of the signal produced by this resonance is compared with the phase of the signal produced by the electron paramagnetic resonance of the free radical mixed with the sample material. The oxygen concentration in the sample material has a single valued functional relationship with respect to this phase difference and is calculated in a microprocessor-based control system. At low oxygen concentrations, the relationship is a linear one.