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J. Haslam, H.A. Willis and D.C.M. Squirrell, Identification and Analysis of Plastics
484
BOOK REVIEWS
J. H a s l a m , H. A. Willis a n d D. C. M. Squirrell, Identification and Analysis o f Plastics, Iliffe B o o k s , L o n d o n , 2nd Ed., 1972; v i + 749 pp., price £18. W h e n p r o d u c i n g the first e d i t i o n of this b o o k in 1965, the a u t h o r s testified as to their e n t h u s i a s m for a c o m b i n a t i o n o f c h e m i c a l a n d p h y s i c a l m e t h o d s in the analysis of p o l y m e r s a n d t h e r e s u l t a n t w o r k w a s e v i d e n c e o f the close p r o f e s s i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n s p e c t r o s c o p i s t a n d a n a l y t i c a l chemist. T h e e x p a n d e d s e c o n d e d i t i o n i n c o r p o r a t e s f u r t h e r i n s t r u m e n t a l t e c h n i q u e s s u c h a s n.m.r., p y r o l y s i s gas c h r o m a t o g r a p h y a n d X - r a y fluorescence into this i n t e g r a t e d a p p r o a c h . T h e first c h a p t e r o n i n s t r u m e n t a l m e t h o d s deals in a g e n e r a l w a y w i t h the t e c h n i q u e s b u t is p e r h a p s m o s t v a l u a b l e for t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f s a m p l e p r e p a r a t i o n a n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f the d a t a o b t a i n e d a n d s h o u l d b e r e g a r d e d as a s u p p l e m e n t to t h e s t a n d a r d texts given in t h e references. T h e s e c o n d c h a p t e r o n q u a l i t a t i v e a n a l y s i s p r e d o m i n a n t l y c o n t a i n s m a t e r i a l f r o m t h e first e d i t i o n , w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f a s h o r t section o n q u a l i t a t i v e analysis f r o m n.m.r, spectra. T h e n e x t e i g h t c h a p t e r s d e s c r i b e a n a l y t i c a l p r o c e d u r e s for p a r t i c u l a r p o l y m e r types a n d s h o w e v i d e n c e o f full revision a n d i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f n e w t e c h n i q u e s since t h e first e d i t i o n . T h e final c h a p t e r deals w i t h the analysis o f plasticizers, fillers, p i g m e n t s a n d s o l v e n t s a n d a n atlas of over" 300 i n f r a r e d spectra is p r o v i d e d as a n a p p e n d i x . This e d i t i o n will b e as w e l c o m e as t h e first to all w h o h a v e to a n a l y s e plastics, b u t t h e increased c o s t o f b o o k p r o d u c t i o n m a k e s it less likely t h a t it will be f o u n d in t h e libraries o f t e a c h i n g l a b o r a t o r i e s w h e r e it c o u l d be a s o u r c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n to g e n e r a l a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t s . H o w e v e r , o n e c a n h o p e t h a t t e a c h e r s o f a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t r y will a d d the first two c h a p t e r s o f this b o o k to t h e r e a d i n g lists t h e y g i v e to their s t u d e n t s since they p r o v i d e a p r a c t i c a l e x p o s i t i o n of a p p l i e d analytical c h e m i s t r y . P. G . W. C o b b ( A l d e r m a s t o n ) A. O. B a k e r a n d D. B e t t e r i d g e , Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Chemical and Analytical Aspects, N o . 53 o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l Series o f M o n o g r a p h s in Analytical C h e m i s t r y , P e r g a m o n , L o n d o n , 1972, x-t- 178 pp., price £3.50. T h e r e is a wide variety o f s p e c t r o s c o p i c t e c h n i q u e s , all o f t h e m o f s o m e interest to s o m e chemists. T h e e a r l y d e v e l o p m e n t o f m o s t o f these h a s b e e n in t h e h a n d s of s p e c t r o s c o p i s t s , a c u r i o u s b r e e d o f scientist, p a r t physicist, p a r t c h e m i s t , p a r t e x p e r i m e n t a l i s t , p a r t t h e o r e t i c i a n . A few o f these t e c h n i q u e s , s u c h as n.m.r., have b e e n widely a c c e p t e d by c h e m i s t s a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y by t h o s e i n t e r e s t e d in s t r u c t u r a l analysis. F e w e r still have b e c o m e generally useful to a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t s . Since this b o o k a p p e a r s in a series on A n a l y t i c a l C h e m i s t r y , t h e u n w a r y a n a l y s t m a y be m i s l e d into s u p p o s i n g t h a t p h o t o e l e c t r o n s p e c t r o s c o p y is a n e w b u t tried t e c h n i q u e likely t'o be o f use in his i m m e d i a t e p r o b l e m s . A r e a d i n g o f this b o o k will s h o w t h a t this is n o t so. In t e r m s o f practical use, t h e t w o b r a n c h e s o f the t e c h n i q u e , o n e u s i n g X-rays a n d often c a l l e d e.s.c.a., t h e o t h e r u s i n g u l t r a v i o l e t p h o t o n s , are a t different stages. It is u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t e.s.e.a., w h i c h has been t r i e d for m a n y p r a c t i c a l p r o b l e m s , a n d
BOOK REVIEWS
J. H a s l a m , H. A. Willis a n d D. C. M. Squirrell, Identification and Analysis o f Plastics, Iliffe B o o k s , L o n d o n , 2nd Ed., 1972; v i + 749 pp., price £18. W h e n p r o d u c i n g the first e d i t i o n of this b o o k in 1965, the a u t h o r s testified as to their e n t h u s i a s m for a c o m b i n a t i o n o f c h e m i c a l a n d p h y s i c a l m e t h o d s in the analysis of p o l y m e r s a n d t h e r e s u l t a n t w o r k w a s e v i d e n c e o f the close p r o f e s s i o n a l a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n s p e c t r o s c o p i s t a n d a n a l y t i c a l chemist. T h e e x p a n d e d s e c o n d e d i t i o n i n c o r p o r a t e s f u r t h e r i n s t r u m e n t a l t e c h n i q u e s s u c h a s n.m.r., p y r o l y s i s gas c h r o m a t o g r a p h y a n d X - r a y fluorescence into this i n t e g r a t e d a p p r o a c h . T h e first c h a p t e r o n i n s t r u m e n t a l m e t h o d s deals in a g e n e r a l w a y w i t h the t e c h n i q u e s b u t is p e r h a p s m o s t v a l u a b l e for t h e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f s a m p l e p r e p a r a t i o n a n d i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f the d a t a o b t a i n e d a n d s h o u l d b e r e g a r d e d as a s u p p l e m e n t to t h e s t a n d a r d texts given in t h e references. T h e s e c o n d c h a p t e r o n q u a l i t a t i v e a n a l y s i s p r e d o m i n a n t l y c o n t a i n s m a t e r i a l f r o m t h e first e d i t i o n , w i t h t h e a d d i t i o n o f a s h o r t section o n q u a l i t a t i v e analysis f r o m n.m.r, spectra. T h e n e x t e i g h t c h a p t e r s d e s c r i b e a n a l y t i c a l p r o c e d u r e s for p a r t i c u l a r p o l y m e r types a n d s h o w e v i d e n c e o f full revision a n d i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f n e w t e c h n i q u e s since t h e first e d i t i o n . T h e final c h a p t e r deals w i t h the analysis o f plasticizers, fillers, p i g m e n t s a n d s o l v e n t s a n d a n atlas of over" 300 i n f r a r e d spectra is p r o v i d e d as a n a p p e n d i x . This e d i t i o n will b e as w e l c o m e as t h e first to all w h o h a v e to a n a l y s e plastics, b u t t h e increased c o s t o f b o o k p r o d u c t i o n m a k e s it less likely t h a t it will be f o u n d in t h e libraries o f t e a c h i n g l a b o r a t o r i e s w h e r e it c o u l d be a s o u r c e o f i n s p i r a t i o n to g e n e r a l a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t s . H o w e v e r , o n e c a n h o p e t h a t t e a c h e r s o f a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t r y will a d d the first two c h a p t e r s o f this b o o k to t h e r e a d i n g lists t h e y g i v e to their s t u d e n t s since they p r o v i d e a p r a c t i c a l e x p o s i t i o n of a p p l i e d analytical c h e m i s t r y . P. G . W. C o b b ( A l d e r m a s t o n ) A. O. B a k e r a n d D. B e t t e r i d g e , Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Chemical and Analytical Aspects, N o . 53 o f I n t e r n a t i o n a l Series o f M o n o g r a p h s in Analytical C h e m i s t r y , P e r g a m o n , L o n d o n , 1972, x-t- 178 pp., price £3.50. T h e r e is a wide variety o f s p e c t r o s c o p i c t e c h n i q u e s , all o f t h e m o f s o m e interest to s o m e chemists. T h e e a r l y d e v e l o p m e n t o f m o s t o f these h a s b e e n in t h e h a n d s of s p e c t r o s c o p i s t s , a c u r i o u s b r e e d o f scientist, p a r t physicist, p a r t c h e m i s t , p a r t e x p e r i m e n t a l i s t , p a r t t h e o r e t i c i a n . A few o f these t e c h n i q u e s , s u c h as n.m.r., have b e e n widely a c c e p t e d by c h e m i s t s a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y by t h o s e i n t e r e s t e d in s t r u c t u r a l analysis. F e w e r still have b e c o m e generally useful to a n a l y t i c a l c h e m i s t s . Since this b o o k a p p e a r s in a series on A n a l y t i c a l C h e m i s t r y , t h e u n w a r y a n a l y s t m a y be m i s l e d into s u p p o s i n g t h a t p h o t o e l e c t r o n s p e c t r o s c o p y is a n e w b u t tried t e c h n i q u e likely t'o be o f use in his i m m e d i a t e p r o b l e m s . A r e a d i n g o f this b o o k will s h o w t h a t this is n o t so. In t e r m s o f practical use, t h e t w o b r a n c h e s o f the t e c h n i q u e , o n e u s i n g X-rays a n d often c a l l e d e.s.c.a., t h e o t h e r u s i n g u l t r a v i o l e t p h o t o n s , are a t different stages. It is u n f o r t u n a t e t h a t e.s.e.a., w h i c h has been t r i e d for m a n y p r a c t i c a l p r o b l e m s , a n d