- Email: [email protected]
NMR lives!
tremh
in ay+ical
chemistry,
XV
vol.2, no. I, 1983
ous Chemicals’ differs in character from the others. It provides an excellent extended overview of all aspects of exposure evaluation, pointing out where various specific research areas fit into the larger picture. However, it does not deal with specific topics in depth. ‘Structure-Activity in Hazard Assessment’ describes attempts to correlate structural features of chemicals with their properties as mutagens, carcinogens and toxins.
‘Azarenes - Sources Distribution Environmental Impact, and Health Effects’ deals in depth with the hazards associated with a particular type of compound. The editors indicate that this type of review will be a feature of future volumes in this series. The diversity of topics covered in this volume show that the editors interpret ‘Hazard Assessment’ in its broadest sense. Since no single person will be active in more than one or two of the research areas covered, the
Liquid chromatography meets trace analysis Organic Trace Analysis by Liquid Chromatography by James F. Lawrence, Academic Press, 1981, Q2.60/.$34.00 (xii + 288 pages) ISBN 0 12 439150 8 This very useful book is written for the chemist involved in organic trace analysis, not for the liquid chromatographer. Consequently, the treatment of liquid chromatography (LC) is more than adequate for the trace analyst, but not sufficiently comprehensive for the LC specialist. This is exactly the author’s intention. The book is well laid out and contains the basic chromatographic knowledge the analyst needs. The first six chapters deal with chromatographic information; general background, pump systems, sampling systems, column packing materials, detectors, and some basic theory. Chapter 7 deals explicitly with chemical derivatization, a very necessary technique for solving trace analysis problems where the detector sensitivity has to be enhanced to provide low component level capabilities. Chapter 8 deals with sample extraction and clean-up procedures, which are also often essential to obtain the required sensitivity. Chapter 9 gives the analyst general information on how to develop a basic analytical technique. It deals with the problem of incomplete resolution, time optimization, qualitative and quantitative analysis and automation. The final chapter provides a series of applications which could have been broader in scope and more complete in detail. Generally the text is valuable and achieves its aims -that is, to acquaint, in a rational manner, the trace analyst with an alternative chromatographic approach to a problem. I would add that the author treads a delicate path
through controversial matters in chromatography without leaving the reader uninformed or unsure as to how to proceed. A few minor points; on page 1 Lawrence states that ‘separation may be described as solute-solution interactions’. This is generally true, but to the pedantic chromatographer it is an incomplete definition. On page 114, figure 64 gives such a simplistic explanation of the effect of particle size that it borders on being incorrect. On
primary value of this volume and others in this series will be to broaden one’s knowledge of hazard assessment and to better learn how one’s own contribution fits into the overall picture. W. R. SEITZ C. L. GRANT
Drs Seitz and Grant are in th Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 038.24, U.S.A.
page 24, the safe pH for reverse-phase use should be between 3 and 8, not between 2 and 9. At pH 9, most reverse-phases would have a very short lifetime. These are minor points, however, and in general the book is very useful. I recommend it to all chemists who are inexperienced in liquid chromatography and interested in trace organic analysis. R. P. W. SCOTT
Dr Ray Scott works for the Perkin-Elmer Corp., Main Ave., Norwalk, CT 06856, U.S.A.
NMR lives! Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and its Applications to Living Systems by David G. Gadian, Clarendon Press 1982. kl5.00 (x + 197 pages) ISBN 0 19 854627 0 The application of NMR to living systems offers many exciting prospects for medicine, particularly in diagnosis and monitoring the viability of organs prior to transplantation. The monograph by Dr Gadian is an excellent introduction to theory and practice in this area. In the first two chapters, one’s interest in the kind of information which might be obtained on biological material from NMR studies is stimulated. These chapters contain enough theory to make the following chapters on applications to tissue, organs and whole animals intelligible. The approach taken is to select examples for discussion in depth rather than to review the whole field; however, the comprehensive references cited should allow ready access to topics omitted. A major strength of the book is the detailed description of how NMR can be applied to study metabolism in vivo. Dr Gadian has been a pioneer in this
field and the treatment is authoritative. Later chapters cover aspects of spectrometer design for such metabolic with the more studies, together detailed theory needed for understanding the sophisticated pulse sequences widely used in practice. The theory is treated simply, though rigorously, and would be useful to readers other than those whose interest is primarily in the in-vivo applications of NMR. Another NMR application of considerable current importance in clinical medicine is that of spin-imaging, which gives diagnostic information comparable to X-ray scanning. The treatment of this topic is superficial although the examples of spin images given as illustrations clearly demonstrate the potential of this technique. In summary, the book is well written and the figures are clear; it is a source of much useful information and well worth purchasing by anyone interested in magnetic resonance of biological material. P. F. KNOWLES
Dr Knowles is in the Astbury Department of Biophysics, The University of Leeds, Leeds L.S.? 9JT, U.K.
in ay+ical
chemistry,
XV
vol.2, no. I, 1983
ous Chemicals’ differs in character from the others. It provides an excellent extended overview of all aspects of exposure evaluation, pointing out where various specific research areas fit into the larger picture. However, it does not deal with specific topics in depth. ‘Structure-Activity in Hazard Assessment’ describes attempts to correlate structural features of chemicals with their properties as mutagens, carcinogens and toxins.
‘Azarenes - Sources Distribution Environmental Impact, and Health Effects’ deals in depth with the hazards associated with a particular type of compound. The editors indicate that this type of review will be a feature of future volumes in this series. The diversity of topics covered in this volume show that the editors interpret ‘Hazard Assessment’ in its broadest sense. Since no single person will be active in more than one or two of the research areas covered, the
Liquid chromatography meets trace analysis Organic Trace Analysis by Liquid Chromatography by James F. Lawrence, Academic Press, 1981, Q2.60/.$34.00 (xii + 288 pages) ISBN 0 12 439150 8 This very useful book is written for the chemist involved in organic trace analysis, not for the liquid chromatographer. Consequently, the treatment of liquid chromatography (LC) is more than adequate for the trace analyst, but not sufficiently comprehensive for the LC specialist. This is exactly the author’s intention. The book is well laid out and contains the basic chromatographic knowledge the analyst needs. The first six chapters deal with chromatographic information; general background, pump systems, sampling systems, column packing materials, detectors, and some basic theory. Chapter 7 deals explicitly with chemical derivatization, a very necessary technique for solving trace analysis problems where the detector sensitivity has to be enhanced to provide low component level capabilities. Chapter 8 deals with sample extraction and clean-up procedures, which are also often essential to obtain the required sensitivity. Chapter 9 gives the analyst general information on how to develop a basic analytical technique. It deals with the problem of incomplete resolution, time optimization, qualitative and quantitative analysis and automation. The final chapter provides a series of applications which could have been broader in scope and more complete in detail. Generally the text is valuable and achieves its aims -that is, to acquaint, in a rational manner, the trace analyst with an alternative chromatographic approach to a problem. I would add that the author treads a delicate path
through controversial matters in chromatography without leaving the reader uninformed or unsure as to how to proceed. A few minor points; on page 1 Lawrence states that ‘separation may be described as solute-solution interactions’. This is generally true, but to the pedantic chromatographer it is an incomplete definition. On page 114, figure 64 gives such a simplistic explanation of the effect of particle size that it borders on being incorrect. On
primary value of this volume and others in this series will be to broaden one’s knowledge of hazard assessment and to better learn how one’s own contribution fits into the overall picture. W. R. SEITZ C. L. GRANT
Drs Seitz and Grant are in th Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 038.24, U.S.A.
page 24, the safe pH for reverse-phase use should be between 3 and 8, not between 2 and 9. At pH 9, most reverse-phases would have a very short lifetime. These are minor points, however, and in general the book is very useful. I recommend it to all chemists who are inexperienced in liquid chromatography and interested in trace organic analysis. R. P. W. SCOTT
Dr Ray Scott works for the Perkin-Elmer Corp., Main Ave., Norwalk, CT 06856, U.S.A.
NMR lives! Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and its Applications to Living Systems by David G. Gadian, Clarendon Press 1982. kl5.00 (x + 197 pages) ISBN 0 19 854627 0 The application of NMR to living systems offers many exciting prospects for medicine, particularly in diagnosis and monitoring the viability of organs prior to transplantation. The monograph by Dr Gadian is an excellent introduction to theory and practice in this area. In the first two chapters, one’s interest in the kind of information which might be obtained on biological material from NMR studies is stimulated. These chapters contain enough theory to make the following chapters on applications to tissue, organs and whole animals intelligible. The approach taken is to select examples for discussion in depth rather than to review the whole field; however, the comprehensive references cited should allow ready access to topics omitted. A major strength of the book is the detailed description of how NMR can be applied to study metabolism in vivo. Dr Gadian has been a pioneer in this
field and the treatment is authoritative. Later chapters cover aspects of spectrometer design for such metabolic with the more studies, together detailed theory needed for understanding the sophisticated pulse sequences widely used in practice. The theory is treated simply, though rigorously, and would be useful to readers other than those whose interest is primarily in the in-vivo applications of NMR. Another NMR application of considerable current importance in clinical medicine is that of spin-imaging, which gives diagnostic information comparable to X-ray scanning. The treatment of this topic is superficial although the examples of spin images given as illustrations clearly demonstrate the potential of this technique. In summary, the book is well written and the figures are clear; it is a source of much useful information and well worth purchasing by anyone interested in magnetic resonance of biological material. P. F. KNOWLES
Dr Knowles is in the Astbury Department of Biophysics, The University of Leeds, Leeds L.S.? 9JT, U.K.