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Modern methods for trace element analysis
Talama, Vol. 26. pp. iii-iv Pergamon Press Ltd.. 1979. Printed in Great Britain
PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED Laboratory Handbook of Chromatographic and Allied Methods: edited by O. MIKE], Horwood, Chichester, 1979. Pp. 764. £38.50. In the reviewer's opinion there are too many books on chromatography and related methods. An earlier book edited by Mikel had numerous competitors. Each book should justify its existence. This new one does. It is not a second edition of the previous manual but a refreshingly modem book which within its wide range deals clearly and in reasonable depth with equipment and materials readily available in the West. The book describes not only the principles involved but gives examples of applications and how to select and improve methods. Chromatography is still partly an art, or skill, and a particularly attractive feature of this book is that the experience of the contributors is revealed in the way they deal with minor handling techniques, and with other, at first sight apparently trivial, matters all of which in fact largely determine whether or not a chromatographic method will be found to. be successful. The book is large and for many users should be on its own self-sufficient, but it is impossible, and in this field impractical and undesirable, for any text to seek to be comprehensive. Reference is made to specialist texts. The topics covered include theories of chromatographic and related methods, applications of partition, adsorption, ion-exchange, gel, affinity and gas chromatography and techniques of column, paper, thin-layer and other types of chromatography. There are chapters on electromigration and countercurrent distribution, and the book ends with a useful review of the literature and a list of United Kingdom suppliers of materials and equipment. The chapters vary in style and scope but overall the coverage is good. In such a large book it is not surprising that there are a few outdated terms and typographical errors. The historical introductions are interesting and well-balanced. The book is indeed what its predecessor claimed to be, namely a laboratory, or bench, manual and in that appropriate guise it will prove of considerable value for reference and browsing. It is an excellent guide through the jungle of competing techniques, chromatographic reagents and suppliers, and will be of some help in assisting in decisions about the most suitable commercially available equipment. Both the novice, and the already experienced worker, will benefit from the expertise displayed. K. C. B. WILKIE
Modern Methods for Trace Element Analysis: M. PINTA, Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1978. Pp. xii + 492. £18.60. This text offers a useful introduction to the application of some selected analytical techniques to trace element analysis. The techniques included are fluorimetry, emission spectroscopy, atomic-absorption spectrometry, atomic-fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and activation analysis. For each topic, the theory is discussed briefly, then the apparatus and operational procedures are discussed, and finally a wide selection of practical methods is given. References to the original literature are extensive. The chapters on atomic-absorption methods, which include extensive discussion of non-flame methods, will be particularly useful to the newcomer to modern routine trace analytical practice. In his introduction, the author tries to justify the omission of several important modern techniques, including electrochemical stripping methods, differential-pulse polarography, ion-selective electrodes, and spark-source mass spectrometry: it would have been preferable if he had merely stated that he did not propose to discuss them. I found that the printers' setting of the equations in the text sometimes made them barely comprehensible: no italic characters were used, and minus signs, en-rules and era-rules all came out looking like hyphens. MARY MASSON
Analysis with Ion-Selective Electrodes: J. VESELY, D. WEiss and K. ~TUL]~K, Horwood, Chichester, 1978. Pp. 240. £16. The core of this book is a 100-page review of'applications of ion-selective electrodes up to 1976-77. A wide range of analyses are covered in outline, but one would have to go to the original reference (there are 839 in this section) before attempting anything that was not straightforward. The discussions of selectivity and other properties of ISEs are thorough and there are useful hints for masking or removing interferences. Given the purpose of the book, a little too mu~h space is given to experimental electrodes and it is not made clear which forms of ISE are readily available and from which manufacturer. Another weakness is that the authors seem to have little faith in ISEs for trace analysis: in this area the reference list is less than comprehensive. The first half of the book is a sound general introduction to the subject. Chapter 1 describes the theory briefly but at the right level. Chapter 2 is very good on electrode construction (although the air-gap electrode is misunderstood), reference electrodes and aspects of intrumentation. Chapter 3 deals adequately with calibration, known addition methods, and Gran plots; the section on continuous measurements, being brief and narrowly-based, is not of the same standard. The cost per page is comparatively high, especially in view of the poor paper and printing. It is, however, a useful compilation for anyone wishing to devise or modify a method and on that basis the price js by no means outrageous. The text is clearly written and well illustrated and the book's merits far outweigh any defects I have pointed out. DEREK MIDGLEY
iii
PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED Laboratory Handbook of Chromatographic and Allied Methods: edited by O. MIKE], Horwood, Chichester, 1979. Pp. 764. £38.50. In the reviewer's opinion there are too many books on chromatography and related methods. An earlier book edited by Mikel had numerous competitors. Each book should justify its existence. This new one does. It is not a second edition of the previous manual but a refreshingly modem book which within its wide range deals clearly and in reasonable depth with equipment and materials readily available in the West. The book describes not only the principles involved but gives examples of applications and how to select and improve methods. Chromatography is still partly an art, or skill, and a particularly attractive feature of this book is that the experience of the contributors is revealed in the way they deal with minor handling techniques, and with other, at first sight apparently trivial, matters all of which in fact largely determine whether or not a chromatographic method will be found to. be successful. The book is large and for many users should be on its own self-sufficient, but it is impossible, and in this field impractical and undesirable, for any text to seek to be comprehensive. Reference is made to specialist texts. The topics covered include theories of chromatographic and related methods, applications of partition, adsorption, ion-exchange, gel, affinity and gas chromatography and techniques of column, paper, thin-layer and other types of chromatography. There are chapters on electromigration and countercurrent distribution, and the book ends with a useful review of the literature and a list of United Kingdom suppliers of materials and equipment. The chapters vary in style and scope but overall the coverage is good. In such a large book it is not surprising that there are a few outdated terms and typographical errors. The historical introductions are interesting and well-balanced. The book is indeed what its predecessor claimed to be, namely a laboratory, or bench, manual and in that appropriate guise it will prove of considerable value for reference and browsing. It is an excellent guide through the jungle of competing techniques, chromatographic reagents and suppliers, and will be of some help in assisting in decisions about the most suitable commercially available equipment. Both the novice, and the already experienced worker, will benefit from the expertise displayed. K. C. B. WILKIE
Modern Methods for Trace Element Analysis: M. PINTA, Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1978. Pp. xii + 492. £18.60. This text offers a useful introduction to the application of some selected analytical techniques to trace element analysis. The techniques included are fluorimetry, emission spectroscopy, atomic-absorption spectrometry, atomic-fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and activation analysis. For each topic, the theory is discussed briefly, then the apparatus and operational procedures are discussed, and finally a wide selection of practical methods is given. References to the original literature are extensive. The chapters on atomic-absorption methods, which include extensive discussion of non-flame methods, will be particularly useful to the newcomer to modern routine trace analytical practice. In his introduction, the author tries to justify the omission of several important modern techniques, including electrochemical stripping methods, differential-pulse polarography, ion-selective electrodes, and spark-source mass spectrometry: it would have been preferable if he had merely stated that he did not propose to discuss them. I found that the printers' setting of the equations in the text sometimes made them barely comprehensible: no italic characters were used, and minus signs, en-rules and era-rules all came out looking like hyphens. MARY MASSON
Analysis with Ion-Selective Electrodes: J. VESELY, D. WEiss and K. ~TUL]~K, Horwood, Chichester, 1978. Pp. 240. £16. The core of this book is a 100-page review of'applications of ion-selective electrodes up to 1976-77. A wide range of analyses are covered in outline, but one would have to go to the original reference (there are 839 in this section) before attempting anything that was not straightforward. The discussions of selectivity and other properties of ISEs are thorough and there are useful hints for masking or removing interferences. Given the purpose of the book, a little too mu~h space is given to experimental electrodes and it is not made clear which forms of ISE are readily available and from which manufacturer. Another weakness is that the authors seem to have little faith in ISEs for trace analysis: in this area the reference list is less than comprehensive. The first half of the book is a sound general introduction to the subject. Chapter 1 describes the theory briefly but at the right level. Chapter 2 is very good on electrode construction (although the air-gap electrode is misunderstood), reference electrodes and aspects of intrumentation. Chapter 3 deals adequately with calibration, known addition methods, and Gran plots; the section on continuous measurements, being brief and narrowly-based, is not of the same standard. The cost per page is comparatively high, especially in view of the poor paper and printing. It is, however, a useful compilation for anyone wishing to devise or modify a method and on that basis the price js by no means outrageous. The text is clearly written and well illustrated and the book's merits far outweigh any defects I have pointed out. DEREK MIDGLEY
iii