Modern methods for trace element determination

The major objective of the book, according to the authors, is to bring the reader up to date in the practice and principles of modern methods in the trace element analysis of environmental, biological and high-purity materials. They have sought to achieve this by presenting: an introductory chapter of eight pages on the impact of trace elements in health, the environment and industry; a brief description of sample preparation and preconcentration methods (Chapter 2); a cursory look at statistics (Chapter 3, incorrectly titled 'Methodology in trace element determination'); a comparison of atomic spectrometric techniques (Chapter 8, six pages) and metal speciation (Chapter 12, five pages); superficial treatments of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (Chapter 6) and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (Chapter 7); satisfactory descriptions of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (Chapter 5), X-ray methods (Chapter 10) and activation analysis (Chapter 11); and a good account of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Chapter 9). Nearly 30% of the book is devoted to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The authors' expertise in ICPMS is evident from the good treatment given to this topic. This chapter includes discussion of instrumentation, influence of ICP operating conditions, analytical performance characteristics, interferences, sample introduction methods, and applications to surface water, human

Modern Methods for Trace Element Determination by C. Vandecastee(eand C.13.Block, John Wiley & Sons, 1993. £45.00 (330 pages) ISBN 0 471 94039 9

serum and alloys. The figures (e.g. pages 196, 198 and 201) and tables (e.g. pages 221 and 225), however, are not adequately explained. For example, in Table 9.8 (page 225), it would have been interesting to know the reasons for the considerable discrepancy between the observed (O.8?'ng/g) and expected (O.25ng/g) values for antimony. Unfortunately, the lavish attention bestowed on ICPMS has been at the expense of in-depth discussion of other topics covered in the book. Thus, metal special(on was allotted a separate chapter, but of only five pages. A subject matter of considerable current interest, metal speciation deserves a far better treatment than that given by the authors. Similarly, a comprehensive ~reatment of the comparison of the various techniques presented in this book would have been much more useful than the cursory treatment given to it in Chapter 8, which includes only the atomic spectroscopic techniques. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICPAES) is still a widelyused technique, and should have received better treatment. The applications of ICPAES and graphite

furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) are hardly mentioned. The book does not cover sensitive electrochemical techniques, such as anodic stripping voltammelry and potential stripping analysis; hyphenated techniques nor pre-analytical aspects, such as storage, preservation and contamination control. In summary, the unusual attention given to ICPMS has made the rest of the book weaker. This is in spite of the ambitious undertaking of the authors to cover the entire gamut of other trace element techniques. Either a balanced approach or an in-depth treatment of only ICPMS would have produced a more useful book. Although the book is 'written for researchers and industrial analysis in chemistry, chemical engineering and environmental science', all I can say is that the scope is so wide and the treatment so unbalanced that it may not satisfy anybody. O n the positive side, the book is weft written, easy to read, genere!ly error-free and well indexed. K.S. Subramanian EnvironmentalHealth Directorate, Health Canada, Tunney'sPasture,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada KIA Ot2.

Books Received Res'iewcopies of the following books have been received. The appearance of a book in lhe list does not preclude the possibility of it being reviewed in Trends in Food Science & Technology in the fulum.

hbk / £9.95/$14.95 pbk (x + 211 pages) ISBN 0 521 43036 4/0 521 43622 2 • Chi-Tang Ho, Chang Y. Lee and M0u-Tuan Huang, eds Phenolic Compounds in Food and Their Effectson Health h Analysis, Occurrence & Chemistry American Chemical Society, 1992. • G.F.M. Ball Water-soluble Vitamin Assays in $74.95 hhk (xiv ~ 338 pages)ISBN0 8412 24757 Human Nutrition Chapman& Hall, 1994. £95.0O • Mou-Tuan Huang, Chi-Tang Ho and Chang Y. hbk (x + 416 pages)ISBN0 412 583604 Lee, @is Phenolic Compoundsin Faod and Their • D.A. Bender Nutritional Biochemistry of the Effects on Health Ih Antioxidants and Cancer Vitamins Cambridge University Press, 1992. Prevention American Chemical Society, 1992. $89.95 hbk (xx + 431 pages) ISBN 0 521 38144 4 $84.95 hbk (xi', + 402 pages)IS~N0 8412 2476 5 • V. Brandtl and H. Teschemacher, eds fl• Carl L Keen,Adrienne Bendich and Calvin C. Casomorphins and Related Peptides: Recent Willhite, @IS Maternal Nutrition and Pregnancy Developments VCH, 1994. (x + 270 pages) OutcomeThe New YorkAcademyof Sciences,1993. DM176.0Ohhk ISBN 3 527 300384 $110.00 hbk (vii + 372 pages)ISBN0 89766 753 0 • Ling-Men Cheng Food Machinery for the • Peter Leathwood, Marc Horisberger and W. Production of Cereal Foods, Snack Foods a~nd Philip T. lames, eds For a Better Nutrition in the Confectionery Ellis Horwoocl, 1992. £52.59 hbk 21st Century Nestl~ Nulrition Services, 1993. (xv + 290 pages)ISBN0 7476 0071 6 $76.00hbk (xiv + 258 pages)ISBN0 88176 964 X • Robert V. DeCareau Microwave Foods: New • William H. Lesser,ed. Market/rigL/restockandMeat Product Development Food & Nulrition Press, Food Products Press, 1993. $79.95 hbk/$55.95 p ~ 1992.$50.00(vi + 213 pages)ISBN0 91767830 3 (xxvi+ 471 pages)/SBN1 56022 016 3/1 56022 017 1 • D.O. Hall and K.K. Rao Photosynthesis(5th odn) • George U. Liepa, @i. Dietary Proteins: How Cambridge University Press, 1994.£24.95/$39.95 They Alleviate Disease and Promote Better Health Trends in Food Science & Technology July 1994 [Vol. 5]

American Oil Chemists" Society, 1992. $70.0O hbk (viii + 282 pages)ISBN0 93531541 l) • Samee!L. MacKenzieand David C. Taylor,eds Seed Oils for the FutureAmerican Oil Chemists' Society, 1992.$55.0Ohbk (viii + 181 pages)ISBN 0 93531546 2 • I.D..Morion and J. Lengers,@Is Educationand Training in Food Science:A ChangingSceneEllis I.~, 1992. £37.50 h~ (viii + 231 pages) ISBN013 8022739 • A. Mozart RantVr~m/ns:, ~ , i c , ~ e g / c a l aedNtfaifk~a/Aspec/sCRCPress,1994.£1%30 hbk (×i + 412 pages)ISBNo 8493 4734 3 • M. Pauhen-Braquet,C. Dupent and R. Paoletti. @IS Foods, Nutrition and Immunity: Effects of Dairy and Fc-~nentodMilk Productsgarger, 1992. £53.10hbk (viii ÷ 126 pages11SBN3 8055 56055 • Muneo Saito, Yoshio Yamauchi and Tsuno Okuyama, @Is Fractionation by" Packed-Column SFC and SFE: Principles and Applications VCH, 1994. DM198.00 hhk lxv + 276 pages) ISBN 1 56081 591 4 • D.R. Tainter and A.T. Grenis, eds Spices and Seasonings VCH, 1993. DM158.0O/£65.0O hhk (226 pages)ISBN3 527 89572 8 24