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Working with ion-selective electrodes
438
BOOK REVIEWS
Careinogeus and Related Substances: Aoalytlcal Chemistry for Toxicological Research, BY MALCOLM C. BOWMAN, Dekker, New York, 1979. The stated purpose of this book is to outline and discuss some of the principles, problems, and pitfalls encountered in the chemistry of toxicological testing. For the most part, these goals have been accomplished. Chapter 1 presents a general overview of the analytical chemistry requirements for toxicological testing. Included are discussions concerning the integrity, safe handling, and storage of the compounds to be tested. Discussions also focus on safety surveillance and safe disposal. The discussion in Chapter 2 focuses on the chemical analysis of the supphes used in toxicological testing. Tentative specifications are given for both essential and deleterious substances. Because a deficiency of ~nutrients and/or the presence of toxic substances will most likely bias test results, all components used in the bioassay system must be checked prior to use. Procedures are given for the analysis of the animal diet, bedding and containers, and drinking water for heavy metals, fungal metabolites, pesticides, vitamins, protein, and fat. These procedures should be of interest to everyone concerned with the health surveillance of laboratory test animals. In Chapter 3 (two-thirds of the book) detailed procedures are given for the assay of several chemicals undergoing testing at the National Center for Toxicological Research. While the specific compounds may or may not be of interest, the attention given to the details of setting up and validating an assay
Working
with
CAMMANN,
ion-Selective Electrodes. By KARL Springer-Verlag, New York/Berlin,
1979. $41.80. During the past few years, several excellent monographs on ion-selective electrodes have been published to meet the demand of this rapidly growing analytical discipline. This volume is a translation of the second German edition of a highly successful monograph first published in 1973 and now expanded to include more recent work on gas sensors, enzyme electrodes, and industrial applications. These sensors have found application to a broad range of analytical problems in science, technology, and medicine. The types of analytes selectively measured by these electrodes include simple inorganic ions, neutral gases, and complex organic molecules. The diversity of applications of these sensors obviates any detailed, or “cook book,” approach to specific analyses, and the author wisely does not attempt such a treatment. Instead, he provides a very sound background on the most important funda-
procedure should be pertinent for chemists and biologists active in toxicological testing. A brief discussion of the Ames test is given. The author discusses (with procedures) the analysis of a mixture of thirteen suspect carcinogens in urine and wastewaterin Chapter 4. The methods should be easily adapted to monitoring the work area as well. The cleanup of the wastewater from a testing laboratory is discussed in Chapter 5. Although the discussion focuses on one test chemical, the evaluation of various absorbents for use in a filtration system and problems involved in setting up a pilot-scale facility should be of interest to those concerned with the problem of cleaning up wastewater for re-use. The attention given to validating test results and the general philosophy behind setting up assays for toxicological testing suggest that Chapters 1 and 2 should be required reading for students in toxicology. This book will be of interest to both chemists and biologists involved in toxicological testing and may be used as a laboratory manual for establishing laboratory protocols. The assay procedures above are well worth the price of the book. RICHARD
H. COX
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences P.O. Box 12233 Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 Received September 25, 1980
mentals of these sensors and gives valuable practical advice on their use. In fact, the numerous useful “tricks of the trade” which the author provides is one of the strong points of the book and should be of considerable help to the novice in this field. The examples of practical analyses are well selected throughout to illustrate particular points and are not intended to be comprehensive. Unfortunately, one of the failings of this book is the absence of references to some of the interesting examples cited which would be of help in locating the original work. On the other hand, the citation of 460 references indicates that this is an infrequent lapse and not widespread throughout the book. While the author claims that the practical tips should put the innovative experimentalist in a position to produce functional electrodes, be warned that this is not a trivial exercise. Depending on the type of electrode, attempting construction can be equally frustrating as rewarding. However, it is correct that this ability is important in many physiological and biochemical applications where neither suitable microelectrodes
439
BOOK REVIEWS nor sensors for biological constituents are Yet commercially available. This monograph consists of six chapters. The first presents the theory of electrode response and the fundamentals of potentiometry. The second contains a thorough discussion of reference electrodes which are the source of the majority of measurement problems. The third chapter deals with the construction, characteristics, and handling procedures for the various types of electrodes categorized according to membrane construction. Chapter 4 is concerned with the measurement of the cell electromotive force (emf) and discusses amplifiers and their characteristics. The fifth chapter is devoted to a discussion of the analytical techniques illustrated with practical applications. The final chapter describes specialized applications and instrumentation for measuring biological and environmental/industrial samples. This section includes in viva and in vitro measurements on biological fluids and continuous analytical techniques for monitoring purposes. In general, the translation and clarity of presentation are excellent, although there are a few lapses such as in
the explanation of the photoemf (figure not explained well in the text) and a grossly inadequate treatment of the current state of the art in ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFET) which hold great promise for miniaturized sensors in biological monitoring. Italicization is used liberally but effectively throughout the text to highlight important sections. This monograph can be recommended to novices as well as experienced practitioners in this field. It is reasonably general, easily read, and does not overemphasize any particular field of application. Because of the complexity of this subject, it is imperative that potential users of these sensors read a book of this genre before working with them. Considerable wasted effort, traceable to the lack of practical know-how on the part of the user, can thus be avoided. RICHARD Center for Analytical Chemistry National Bureau of Standards Washington, D. C. 20234 Received October 1, 1980
A. DURST
BOOK REVIEWS
Careinogeus and Related Substances: Aoalytlcal Chemistry for Toxicological Research, BY MALCOLM C. BOWMAN, Dekker, New York, 1979. The stated purpose of this book is to outline and discuss some of the principles, problems, and pitfalls encountered in the chemistry of toxicological testing. For the most part, these goals have been accomplished. Chapter 1 presents a general overview of the analytical chemistry requirements for toxicological testing. Included are discussions concerning the integrity, safe handling, and storage of the compounds to be tested. Discussions also focus on safety surveillance and safe disposal. The discussion in Chapter 2 focuses on the chemical analysis of the supphes used in toxicological testing. Tentative specifications are given for both essential and deleterious substances. Because a deficiency of ~nutrients and/or the presence of toxic substances will most likely bias test results, all components used in the bioassay system must be checked prior to use. Procedures are given for the analysis of the animal diet, bedding and containers, and drinking water for heavy metals, fungal metabolites, pesticides, vitamins, protein, and fat. These procedures should be of interest to everyone concerned with the health surveillance of laboratory test animals. In Chapter 3 (two-thirds of the book) detailed procedures are given for the assay of several chemicals undergoing testing at the National Center for Toxicological Research. While the specific compounds may or may not be of interest, the attention given to the details of setting up and validating an assay
Working
with
CAMMANN,
ion-Selective Electrodes. By KARL Springer-Verlag, New York/Berlin,
1979. $41.80. During the past few years, several excellent monographs on ion-selective electrodes have been published to meet the demand of this rapidly growing analytical discipline. This volume is a translation of the second German edition of a highly successful monograph first published in 1973 and now expanded to include more recent work on gas sensors, enzyme electrodes, and industrial applications. These sensors have found application to a broad range of analytical problems in science, technology, and medicine. The types of analytes selectively measured by these electrodes include simple inorganic ions, neutral gases, and complex organic molecules. The diversity of applications of these sensors obviates any detailed, or “cook book,” approach to specific analyses, and the author wisely does not attempt such a treatment. Instead, he provides a very sound background on the most important funda-
procedure should be pertinent for chemists and biologists active in toxicological testing. A brief discussion of the Ames test is given. The author discusses (with procedures) the analysis of a mixture of thirteen suspect carcinogens in urine and wastewaterin Chapter 4. The methods should be easily adapted to monitoring the work area as well. The cleanup of the wastewater from a testing laboratory is discussed in Chapter 5. Although the discussion focuses on one test chemical, the evaluation of various absorbents for use in a filtration system and problems involved in setting up a pilot-scale facility should be of interest to those concerned with the problem of cleaning up wastewater for re-use. The attention given to validating test results and the general philosophy behind setting up assays for toxicological testing suggest that Chapters 1 and 2 should be required reading for students in toxicology. This book will be of interest to both chemists and biologists involved in toxicological testing and may be used as a laboratory manual for establishing laboratory protocols. The assay procedures above are well worth the price of the book. RICHARD
H. COX
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences P.O. Box 12233 Research Triangle Park North Carolina 27709 Received September 25, 1980
mentals of these sensors and gives valuable practical advice on their use. In fact, the numerous useful “tricks of the trade” which the author provides is one of the strong points of the book and should be of considerable help to the novice in this field. The examples of practical analyses are well selected throughout to illustrate particular points and are not intended to be comprehensive. Unfortunately, one of the failings of this book is the absence of references to some of the interesting examples cited which would be of help in locating the original work. On the other hand, the citation of 460 references indicates that this is an infrequent lapse and not widespread throughout the book. While the author claims that the practical tips should put the innovative experimentalist in a position to produce functional electrodes, be warned that this is not a trivial exercise. Depending on the type of electrode, attempting construction can be equally frustrating as rewarding. However, it is correct that this ability is important in many physiological and biochemical applications where neither suitable microelectrodes
439
BOOK REVIEWS nor sensors for biological constituents are Yet commercially available. This monograph consists of six chapters. The first presents the theory of electrode response and the fundamentals of potentiometry. The second contains a thorough discussion of reference electrodes which are the source of the majority of measurement problems. The third chapter deals with the construction, characteristics, and handling procedures for the various types of electrodes categorized according to membrane construction. Chapter 4 is concerned with the measurement of the cell electromotive force (emf) and discusses amplifiers and their characteristics. The fifth chapter is devoted to a discussion of the analytical techniques illustrated with practical applications. The final chapter describes specialized applications and instrumentation for measuring biological and environmental/industrial samples. This section includes in viva and in vitro measurements on biological fluids and continuous analytical techniques for monitoring purposes. In general, the translation and clarity of presentation are excellent, although there are a few lapses such as in
the explanation of the photoemf (figure not explained well in the text) and a grossly inadequate treatment of the current state of the art in ion-sensitive field effect transistors (ISFET) which hold great promise for miniaturized sensors in biological monitoring. Italicization is used liberally but effectively throughout the text to highlight important sections. This monograph can be recommended to novices as well as experienced practitioners in this field. It is reasonably general, easily read, and does not overemphasize any particular field of application. Because of the complexity of this subject, it is imperative that potential users of these sensors read a book of this genre before working with them. Considerable wasted effort, traceable to the lack of practical know-how on the part of the user, can thus be avoided. RICHARD Center for Analytical Chemistry National Bureau of Standards Washington, D. C. 20234 Received October 1, 1980
A. DURST