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Official and Standardized Methods of Analysis
394
Book Reviews
petroleum geochemistry and polymers. The remainder are directed towards specific aspects of chromatography and how they apply to the areas of the petroleum industry. These include the 0-FID, the microwave plasma detector, the sulfur chemiluminesccnce detector, multicolumn systems, SFE, SFC, HPLC and liquid chromatography, data handling, and CE techniques. The book deals with subjects on the leading practical edges of the subject and as such gives a valuable coverage of topics to those interested in promoting the use of improved techniques. It shows how the newer areas of chromatographic science can be applied to industrial problems. The book is a useful source of information and should promote new approaches to existing problems. Each chapter is well referenced and a subject index is included for easy access to the main topics covered in the book. John D. Green C.A. Watson (Ed.), OfSicial and Standardized Methods of Analysis, 3rd edn., The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1994 (ISBN O-85186-441-4). xxiv + 779 pp. Price f 110.00. Although designated “the third edition”, it is 22 years since the second edition was published, so the methods described in this book have almost all been developed in the interim, making it essentially a new book. Its main remit is to reproduce in full all the fully tested methods, produced under the auspices of the Analytical Methods Committee (AMC) of the Analytical Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry, that are current. These fall mainly in the areas of analysis of animal feeding stuffs (including additives), cosmetic products, fertilisers, foodstuffs, oils and fats, soaps, trace metals, water, brewing materials and products. Where necessary, the AMC methods are supplemented, but in less detail, by the methods of other bodies, such as EC food methods, MAFF collaborative methods, Standing Committee of Analysts water analysis methods and British Standards. In total, the book contains a vast number of fully tested, reliable procedures, for a wide range of materials that generally fall within the area of food and drink, agricultural and water analysis.
The work of the AMC continues; the methods described will gradually date, but hopefully will be replaced by improved procedure also tested by bodies such as the AMC. I am sure the next edition will not be a further 22 years away. Alan Townshend David J. Holme and Hazel Peck, AnaZytical Biochemistry, 2nd edn., Longman, Harlow, 1993 (ISBN O-582-06694). xv + 507 pp. Price & 19.99. This is a welcome second edition to this book, originally published in 1983, and now in a student affordable softback format. Its main aim is to bring together relevant material normally covered either in general analytical or clinical chemistry texts, but also including some biochemical aspects of importance such as enzymology and immunology. It contains thirteen chapters, falling into three main groups. The first deals with analytical techniques, encompassing areas such as spectroscopy, electroanalysis, and separation and radiochemical methods, as well as topics such as statistics and automation. The second group then discusses immunological and enzyme-based methods, while the third deals with specific classes of biologically important compounds such as carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The level of the material covered is meant primarily for undergraduate students in their first years of study in biochemistry-related degree programmes. As such it is a very useful text, because of its interdisciplinary nature, and range of coverage. It would not be challenging enough, however, for final year undergraduate or taught Masters students. On the negative side, I found the first group of chapters dealing with instrumentation to be slightly dated, and I was disappointed not to see more emphasis being placed on newer techniques such as capillary electrophoresis and biosensors. In addition, I felt the lack of references to the primary literature to be limiting to those students who would wish to gain more information about any particular technique or method. On balance, however, I can recommend it for student purchase, bearing in mind the limitations described above. Malcolm R. Smyth
Book Reviews
petroleum geochemistry and polymers. The remainder are directed towards specific aspects of chromatography and how they apply to the areas of the petroleum industry. These include the 0-FID, the microwave plasma detector, the sulfur chemiluminesccnce detector, multicolumn systems, SFE, SFC, HPLC and liquid chromatography, data handling, and CE techniques. The book deals with subjects on the leading practical edges of the subject and as such gives a valuable coverage of topics to those interested in promoting the use of improved techniques. It shows how the newer areas of chromatographic science can be applied to industrial problems. The book is a useful source of information and should promote new approaches to existing problems. Each chapter is well referenced and a subject index is included for easy access to the main topics covered in the book. John D. Green C.A. Watson (Ed.), OfSicial and Standardized Methods of Analysis, 3rd edn., The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 1994 (ISBN O-85186-441-4). xxiv + 779 pp. Price f 110.00. Although designated “the third edition”, it is 22 years since the second edition was published, so the methods described in this book have almost all been developed in the interim, making it essentially a new book. Its main remit is to reproduce in full all the fully tested methods, produced under the auspices of the Analytical Methods Committee (AMC) of the Analytical Division of the Royal Society of Chemistry, that are current. These fall mainly in the areas of analysis of animal feeding stuffs (including additives), cosmetic products, fertilisers, foodstuffs, oils and fats, soaps, trace metals, water, brewing materials and products. Where necessary, the AMC methods are supplemented, but in less detail, by the methods of other bodies, such as EC food methods, MAFF collaborative methods, Standing Committee of Analysts water analysis methods and British Standards. In total, the book contains a vast number of fully tested, reliable procedures, for a wide range of materials that generally fall within the area of food and drink, agricultural and water analysis.
The work of the AMC continues; the methods described will gradually date, but hopefully will be replaced by improved procedure also tested by bodies such as the AMC. I am sure the next edition will not be a further 22 years away. Alan Townshend David J. Holme and Hazel Peck, AnaZytical Biochemistry, 2nd edn., Longman, Harlow, 1993 (ISBN O-582-06694). xv + 507 pp. Price & 19.99. This is a welcome second edition to this book, originally published in 1983, and now in a student affordable softback format. Its main aim is to bring together relevant material normally covered either in general analytical or clinical chemistry texts, but also including some biochemical aspects of importance such as enzymology and immunology. It contains thirteen chapters, falling into three main groups. The first deals with analytical techniques, encompassing areas such as spectroscopy, electroanalysis, and separation and radiochemical methods, as well as topics such as statistics and automation. The second group then discusses immunological and enzyme-based methods, while the third deals with specific classes of biologically important compounds such as carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The level of the material covered is meant primarily for undergraduate students in their first years of study in biochemistry-related degree programmes. As such it is a very useful text, because of its interdisciplinary nature, and range of coverage. It would not be challenging enough, however, for final year undergraduate or taught Masters students. On the negative side, I found the first group of chapters dealing with instrumentation to be slightly dated, and I was disappointed not to see more emphasis being placed on newer techniques such as capillary electrophoresis and biosensors. In addition, I felt the lack of references to the primary literature to be limiting to those students who would wish to gain more information about any particular technique or method. On balance, however, I can recommend it for student purchase, bearing in mind the limitations described above. Malcolm R. Smyth