- Email: [email protected]
Handbook of exploration geochemistry. volume 1: analytical methods in geochemical prospecting
BOOK
834
REVIEWS
Handbook of Exploration Geochemistry. Volume 1: Analytical Methods in Geochemical Prospecting, by W. K. Fletcher,
Elsevier,
1981, 256
pp, $59.50.
THIS SERIES, edited by G. J. S. Govett and planned to include at least 6 more volumes on specific types of geochemical sample media and techniques, is intended to assemble all information relevant to geochemical exploration in a form usable by practicing exploration geologists and geochemists. The first volume sets a high standard for the series. An introductory first chapter discusses factors bearing on choice of analytical methods, including mode of occurrence of the element, analytical sensitivity, interferences, reliability and reproducibility, and distance from field area to laboratory. Chapter 2, on quality control, presents an up to date review and discussion of methods for determining the detection limit and the precision as a function of concentration, along with several useful statistical tables and graphs; in addition, sampling of powders, and procedures for identifying and minimizing systematic errors are discussed. The third chapter provides information on crushing, grinding, sieving, mineral separation, sample containers, preservation of water samples, and ~ntamination. An excellent chapter on techniques for decomposition and
The Chemistry of Soil Constituents, edited by D. J. Greenland & M. H. 9. Hayes,
1978, $127.40Cdn,andTheChemistry of Soil Processes, edited by D. J. Greenland & M. H. B. Hayes, 1981, $129.30 Cdn, published by John Wiley & Sons.
THESE VOLUMES, the combined work of a distinguished group of British soil scientists, chemists and mineralogists, constitute an important addition to the basic literature of soil chemistry. Consrituents begins with a brief overview of soils and soil chemistry by the editors. Then follow five chapters (written by specialists) on: the structure and chemistry of soil clay minerals, the chemistry of soil organic colloids, the surfaces of soil particles, surface-electrolyte interactions, and water on particle surfaces. Processes also starts with an overview followed by seven chapters devoted to particular processes: mass flow and diffusion, precipitation, cation exchange, anion and ligand exchange, adsorption of organic molecules, oxidation and reduction, and the translocation of metals. The last four chapters deal with problems of great interest to agricultural and environmental chemists, namely the fate of plant and animal residues, of fertilizers, of heavy metals, and of pesticides in soil. An understanding of the chemistry of soil is one of the most pressing needs of modern society. The whole structure of civilised life depends upon the soil and the food that it produces. Yet we abuse this most fundamental resource by bad farming practices, by loading it with the wastes produced in all manner of human activities, and by covering some of the best farmland with asphalt, bricks and mortar. It mdy be true as Stacey says in his foreward to the second of these volumes that recent advances “have provided the knowledge and technology to secure the world’s supply of
Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments, Edited by P. A. Trudinger, M. R. Walter and Springer-Verlag, 1980, 740 pp., U.S. $52.00.
B. J. Ralph.
THIS VOLUME contains papers presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Environmental Bioge~hemistry (ISEB), and a conference on Biogeochemistry in Relation
dissolution of samples summarizes the principles and the literature on the myriad of methods used in exploration geochemistry, including hot and cold, and concentrated and dilute, acid attacks, buffer solutions, and selective extractants for sulfides, exchangeable ions, organic matter, Fe-Mn oxides and other phases. This section is very complete and current in coverage. The remainder of the book covers specific determination methods, namely calorimetry, Ruorimetry and turbidimetry (Chapter 5), atomic absorption (Chapter 6), emission spectrometry including plasma-source methods (Chapter 7) Xray Ruorescence (Chapter 8) and specific ion electrodes, including pH (Chapter 9). Each of these chapters presents theory, describes instrumentation and methods of optimizing analyses, gives examples and references, and discusses problems and limitations. The book is clearly a must for exploration geochemists and for groups conducting geochemical exploration. It also furnishes a very good current reference for all inorganic and environmental geochemists engaged in analysis of trace elements in rocks, soils, sediments. vegetation and other natural materials. Department of Geosciences Pennsylvania Stale University ~l~i~ler.~ityPark, Pa. 16802
Arthur
W. Rose
agricultural produce for the immediate future”. Yet the crazy edifice of our so-called industrialised agriculture depends chemically upon artificial fertilizers, and the rigorous use of pesticides and herbicides; and our knowledge of what happens to the soil after such chemical manipulation over the long term, is pitifully meagre. We do know, however, that unless a more fundamental understanding of soil chemistry is forthcoming, the prospect of a ‘Silent Spring’ darkens the future. Herein lies the importance of these books. They give us the best accumulation of knowledge yet. on which to base our strategies for the rational use of soil. Elsewhere, G. Ii. Bolt of Wageningen has stated that a major difficulty in applying chemistry to soil is that the chemistry we try to apply was developed in the study of fairly simple and welldefined systems, whereas soil is extremely complex and often ill-defined. The great achievement of Greenland and Hayes, and their team of authors, is that soil chemistry is presented here, in all its complexity, and not simply in terms of a facile application of text book chemistry. The one criticism I have is that the chemistry of weathering gets short shrift. All the elements are there in the several chapters, but a final synthesis showing how everything comes in to play in this important process that produces soil and ultimately makes soil a renewable resource, is lacking. The volumes are suitable for advanced students and researchers in geochemistry, as well as in soil, agricultural and environmental chemistry. You may need to take out a mortgage to buy them. Department of Land Resource University ofGuelph Guelph. Ontario, Canada
Science
Ward
Chesworth
to Mining Industry and Environmental Pollution (Leaching Conference), held in Canberra, Australia during August 26-31 and September 3-4, respectively. The aim of the ISEB was to provide “a forum for uninhibited exchange of information and ideas among the biological, chemical, atmospheric and geological scientists working in the common area of biogeochemistry, encompassing soil and other earth
834
REVIEWS
Handbook of Exploration Geochemistry. Volume 1: Analytical Methods in Geochemical Prospecting, by W. K. Fletcher,
Elsevier,
1981, 256
pp, $59.50.
THIS SERIES, edited by G. J. S. Govett and planned to include at least 6 more volumes on specific types of geochemical sample media and techniques, is intended to assemble all information relevant to geochemical exploration in a form usable by practicing exploration geologists and geochemists. The first volume sets a high standard for the series. An introductory first chapter discusses factors bearing on choice of analytical methods, including mode of occurrence of the element, analytical sensitivity, interferences, reliability and reproducibility, and distance from field area to laboratory. Chapter 2, on quality control, presents an up to date review and discussion of methods for determining the detection limit and the precision as a function of concentration, along with several useful statistical tables and graphs; in addition, sampling of powders, and procedures for identifying and minimizing systematic errors are discussed. The third chapter provides information on crushing, grinding, sieving, mineral separation, sample containers, preservation of water samples, and ~ntamination. An excellent chapter on techniques for decomposition and
The Chemistry of Soil Constituents, edited by D. J. Greenland & M. H. 9. Hayes,
1978, $127.40Cdn,andTheChemistry of Soil Processes, edited by D. J. Greenland & M. H. B. Hayes, 1981, $129.30 Cdn, published by John Wiley & Sons.
THESE VOLUMES, the combined work of a distinguished group of British soil scientists, chemists and mineralogists, constitute an important addition to the basic literature of soil chemistry. Consrituents begins with a brief overview of soils and soil chemistry by the editors. Then follow five chapters (written by specialists) on: the structure and chemistry of soil clay minerals, the chemistry of soil organic colloids, the surfaces of soil particles, surface-electrolyte interactions, and water on particle surfaces. Processes also starts with an overview followed by seven chapters devoted to particular processes: mass flow and diffusion, precipitation, cation exchange, anion and ligand exchange, adsorption of organic molecules, oxidation and reduction, and the translocation of metals. The last four chapters deal with problems of great interest to agricultural and environmental chemists, namely the fate of plant and animal residues, of fertilizers, of heavy metals, and of pesticides in soil. An understanding of the chemistry of soil is one of the most pressing needs of modern society. The whole structure of civilised life depends upon the soil and the food that it produces. Yet we abuse this most fundamental resource by bad farming practices, by loading it with the wastes produced in all manner of human activities, and by covering some of the best farmland with asphalt, bricks and mortar. It mdy be true as Stacey says in his foreward to the second of these volumes that recent advances “have provided the knowledge and technology to secure the world’s supply of
Biogeochemistry of Ancient and Modern Environments, Edited by P. A. Trudinger, M. R. Walter and Springer-Verlag, 1980, 740 pp., U.S. $52.00.
B. J. Ralph.
THIS VOLUME contains papers presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Environmental Bioge~hemistry (ISEB), and a conference on Biogeochemistry in Relation
dissolution of samples summarizes the principles and the literature on the myriad of methods used in exploration geochemistry, including hot and cold, and concentrated and dilute, acid attacks, buffer solutions, and selective extractants for sulfides, exchangeable ions, organic matter, Fe-Mn oxides and other phases. This section is very complete and current in coverage. The remainder of the book covers specific determination methods, namely calorimetry, Ruorimetry and turbidimetry (Chapter 5), atomic absorption (Chapter 6), emission spectrometry including plasma-source methods (Chapter 7) Xray Ruorescence (Chapter 8) and specific ion electrodes, including pH (Chapter 9). Each of these chapters presents theory, describes instrumentation and methods of optimizing analyses, gives examples and references, and discusses problems and limitations. The book is clearly a must for exploration geochemists and for groups conducting geochemical exploration. It also furnishes a very good current reference for all inorganic and environmental geochemists engaged in analysis of trace elements in rocks, soils, sediments. vegetation and other natural materials. Department of Geosciences Pennsylvania Stale University ~l~i~ler.~ityPark, Pa. 16802
Arthur
W. Rose
agricultural produce for the immediate future”. Yet the crazy edifice of our so-called industrialised agriculture depends chemically upon artificial fertilizers, and the rigorous use of pesticides and herbicides; and our knowledge of what happens to the soil after such chemical manipulation over the long term, is pitifully meagre. We do know, however, that unless a more fundamental understanding of soil chemistry is forthcoming, the prospect of a ‘Silent Spring’ darkens the future. Herein lies the importance of these books. They give us the best accumulation of knowledge yet. on which to base our strategies for the rational use of soil. Elsewhere, G. Ii. Bolt of Wageningen has stated that a major difficulty in applying chemistry to soil is that the chemistry we try to apply was developed in the study of fairly simple and welldefined systems, whereas soil is extremely complex and often ill-defined. The great achievement of Greenland and Hayes, and their team of authors, is that soil chemistry is presented here, in all its complexity, and not simply in terms of a facile application of text book chemistry. The one criticism I have is that the chemistry of weathering gets short shrift. All the elements are there in the several chapters, but a final synthesis showing how everything comes in to play in this important process that produces soil and ultimately makes soil a renewable resource, is lacking. The volumes are suitable for advanced students and researchers in geochemistry, as well as in soil, agricultural and environmental chemistry. You may need to take out a mortgage to buy them. Department of Land Resource University ofGuelph Guelph. Ontario, Canada
Science
Ward
Chesworth
to Mining Industry and Environmental Pollution (Leaching Conference), held in Canberra, Australia during August 26-31 and September 3-4, respectively. The aim of the ISEB was to provide “a forum for uninhibited exchange of information and ideas among the biological, chemical, atmospheric and geological scientists working in the common area of biogeochemistry, encompassing soil and other earth