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Metal poisoning in fish
144
BOOK REVIEWS
Memipoisoning #1fish, by E.M. Sorenson; CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida; 1991; 374 pp.; GBP 71.00; ISBN 0-8493-4268-6. This book presents information on the pollution effects of metals on teleosts. It specifically focuses on seven metal species that are causing great concern to the environmental toxicologist. The metal species covered are selenium, arsenic, lead, zinc, cadmium, copper and mercury. The author attempts the difficult task of covering the diverse research areas dealing with these metal species and the effects they exert on teleosts. While there is a multitude of reviews available on metal toxicity and biochemical/biological effects of metal on teleosts, the author is to be commended for summarizing the available information into the easily accessible format of a book. The text is organized into nine chapters. The first introduces the reader to some aspects of the chemical and physical properties of the seven metals and further explains some of the terminology used in the book. The following seven chapters each deal with one of the seven metals. Each chapter contains information on environmental exposure sources, toxicity levels and biological effects of the metals. The last chapter attempts to discuss some available information on toxic interactions of the different metals. The book contains a wealth of data on environmental exposure sources, acute toxicity levels for different teleost species and biological effects, such as histological, haematological and behavioural alterations that are due to metal exposure. The organization of the book into separate chapters, one for each metal allows the reader to focus on one element at a time. However, while this is commendable, it leads to repetition of information since a multitude of exposure situations and responses are similar for many of the metals. As stated in the preface to the book, "emphasis is placed on the use of quantitative data gathered from a variety of sources". Thus, the author has chosen to give detailed numerical data from each study reviewed. While it is important to present the actual numbers observed in each study, it tends to over-emphasize the results obtained in the specific studies at the cost of the overall features of exposure on teleosts. This aspect of the book is its greatest weakness. The focus on "absolute numbers", which represent the response of one species of teleost to the pollutant, diverts attention from the diversity of the teleost population. Furthermore, the author has chosen to present the information gathered from the research papers in the present tense. By doing this, the reader may at times be given the impression that the stated results are indisputable facts. While this may not affect the experienced scientist, it may be misleading for the less-experienced reader and for students. The information contained within the book has been gathered from material published up until the mid-1980s. While this does give the reader a fairly up-to-date account of metal pollution, is still lacks some of the latest results in certain specific areas, such as the latest developments in the biochemical fields dealing with environmental toxicity testing. Overall, Metal poisoning 01fish is a good book that should have its biggest reader-
BOOK REVIEWS
145
ship among regulatory personnel. It may also serve as a reference source for research scientists and their graduate students doing research in this field of science and who wish to broaden their knowledge of the toxicity of different metals. However, due to the style of writing, it is not particularly suitable as a textbook for graduate or undergraduate courses. P.-E. Olsson, Molecular Ecology Institute, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA
Seaweed resources in Europe: uses and potential, edited by M. D. Guiry & G. Blunden; John Wiley & Sons; 1991; 432 pp; GBP 65.00, USD 138.30; ISBN 0-471-92947-6.
This is a valuable and indispensable book, not only for readers with practical and commercial interests but for every phycologist who wants to know that happened in the field of European applied phycology since Levring's compilations of the field 15 yr ago, and what may be the probable trends for the next years. Chapter 1 by Guiry & Blunden provides a useful geographical guide to the literature of the marine algae of Europe and adjacent waters, and a systematic survey of their uses in the past and present. This condensed introduction gives up-to-date answers to the basic question "Which seaweed species is currently used for which practical purposes", and has exactly the right length and flavour to stimulate the reader to go on reading the whole book. As to the next question 'Which area of seaweed uses may have the best future chances in Europe", there seems to be a good correlation between a positive answer and the increasing numeration of the chapters. The editors deserve compliments not only for this arrangement leading from a somewhat bleak future to a possible happy end, but for a thorough edition with few printing mistakes and no serious shortcomings. A detailed table of contents might have been useful either at the beginning of the book, or preceding each chapter. All chapters were written by experienced specialists, and most chapters end with a short conclusion so that the reader obtains at the same time detailed information and future outlooks as seen by authors who know the scenery. Throughout the book, there are very useful tables and figures with recent production data, e.g., Tables 1 and 2 in Chapter 5 on Asian production and world production, or Figs. 1-6 in Chapter 10 on seaweed production in Europe. Chapter 2 by lndergaard & Minsaas on animal and human nutrition points out why the more traditional uses
BOOK REVIEWS
Memipoisoning #1fish, by E.M. Sorenson; CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida; 1991; 374 pp.; GBP 71.00; ISBN 0-8493-4268-6. This book presents information on the pollution effects of metals on teleosts. It specifically focuses on seven metal species that are causing great concern to the environmental toxicologist. The metal species covered are selenium, arsenic, lead, zinc, cadmium, copper and mercury. The author attempts the difficult task of covering the diverse research areas dealing with these metal species and the effects they exert on teleosts. While there is a multitude of reviews available on metal toxicity and biochemical/biological effects of metal on teleosts, the author is to be commended for summarizing the available information into the easily accessible format of a book. The text is organized into nine chapters. The first introduces the reader to some aspects of the chemical and physical properties of the seven metals and further explains some of the terminology used in the book. The following seven chapters each deal with one of the seven metals. Each chapter contains information on environmental exposure sources, toxicity levels and biological effects of the metals. The last chapter attempts to discuss some available information on toxic interactions of the different metals. The book contains a wealth of data on environmental exposure sources, acute toxicity levels for different teleost species and biological effects, such as histological, haematological and behavioural alterations that are due to metal exposure. The organization of the book into separate chapters, one for each metal allows the reader to focus on one element at a time. However, while this is commendable, it leads to repetition of information since a multitude of exposure situations and responses are similar for many of the metals. As stated in the preface to the book, "emphasis is placed on the use of quantitative data gathered from a variety of sources". Thus, the author has chosen to give detailed numerical data from each study reviewed. While it is important to present the actual numbers observed in each study, it tends to over-emphasize the results obtained in the specific studies at the cost of the overall features of exposure on teleosts. This aspect of the book is its greatest weakness. The focus on "absolute numbers", which represent the response of one species of teleost to the pollutant, diverts attention from the diversity of the teleost population. Furthermore, the author has chosen to present the information gathered from the research papers in the present tense. By doing this, the reader may at times be given the impression that the stated results are indisputable facts. While this may not affect the experienced scientist, it may be misleading for the less-experienced reader and for students. The information contained within the book has been gathered from material published up until the mid-1980s. While this does give the reader a fairly up-to-date account of metal pollution, is still lacks some of the latest results in certain specific areas, such as the latest developments in the biochemical fields dealing with environmental toxicity testing. Overall, Metal poisoning 01fish is a good book that should have its biggest reader-
BOOK REVIEWS
145
ship among regulatory personnel. It may also serve as a reference source for research scientists and their graduate students doing research in this field of science and who wish to broaden their knowledge of the toxicity of different metals. However, due to the style of writing, it is not particularly suitable as a textbook for graduate or undergraduate courses. P.-E. Olsson, Molecular Ecology Institute, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA
Seaweed resources in Europe: uses and potential, edited by M. D. Guiry & G. Blunden; John Wiley & Sons; 1991; 432 pp; GBP 65.00, USD 138.30; ISBN 0-471-92947-6.
This is a valuable and indispensable book, not only for readers with practical and commercial interests but for every phycologist who wants to know that happened in the field of European applied phycology since Levring's compilations of the field 15 yr ago, and what may be the probable trends for the next years. Chapter 1 by Guiry & Blunden provides a useful geographical guide to the literature of the marine algae of Europe and adjacent waters, and a systematic survey of their uses in the past and present. This condensed introduction gives up-to-date answers to the basic question "Which seaweed species is currently used for which practical purposes", and has exactly the right length and flavour to stimulate the reader to go on reading the whole book. As to the next question 'Which area of seaweed uses may have the best future chances in Europe", there seems to be a good correlation between a positive answer and the increasing numeration of the chapters. The editors deserve compliments not only for this arrangement leading from a somewhat bleak future to a possible happy end, but for a thorough edition with few printing mistakes and no serious shortcomings. A detailed table of contents might have been useful either at the beginning of the book, or preceding each chapter. All chapters were written by experienced specialists, and most chapters end with a short conclusion so that the reader obtains at the same time detailed information and future outlooks as seen by authors who know the scenery. Throughout the book, there are very useful tables and figures with recent production data, e.g., Tables 1 and 2 in Chapter 5 on Asian production and world production, or Figs. 1-6 in Chapter 10 on seaweed production in Europe. Chapter 2 by lndergaard & Minsaas on animal and human nutrition points out why the more traditional uses