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Radon and its decay products in indoor air
2012
News Section
first course in the acid deposition story from a number of viewpoints. Discussion questions following each sub-section were recorded and are reproduced, presumably in somewhat edited form. To its credit, this volume does not pretend to give all the answers. It lets the unresolved questions simply lie there, including the question of the propriety or impropriety of the present stand that the state of our knowledge is inadequate to permit effective legislation-a situation in which I personally have considerable sympathy for both sides. By contrast, the second of the two volumes represents a symposium held at a regular national meeting of the American Chemical Society, co-sponsored by four different divisions, and covering both a degree of review and a number of individual research efforts. Once again, the list of authors is impressive, although less recognizable by the layman. This was a good symposium, here represented by a set of papers that were apparently updated sub~quent to presentation, at least in some cases. The review articles are of decent quality, and will be useful to late entries into the field, and to some of us older types who may not invariably catch all the new primary articles as they appear. These papers are produced in offset from the authors’ final versions, leading to diversity in typeface, and in one or two cases, to unfortunate typographical errors (however, I spotted none that really inhibited comprehension). If you are presently at work in the field of acidic deposition (under whatever name or guise), at least access to a library copy of this volume will be useful. The volume edited by White is probably somewhat less of a resource in your own area of expertise, but could be interesting for its discussion of the legal and administrative problems that set boundaries to what is done about your scientific research. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Radon, edited by C. Richard Cothern and James E. Smith, Jr., Plenum Publishing Corporation, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, 1987, xiii + 363~~. Price: $55.00. Environ~n~l
Radon in Ground Water, edited by Barbara Graves, Lewis
Publishers, Inc., 121 South Main Street, P.O. Drawer 519. Chelsea, MI 48118, 1987, xii + 546~~. Price: $39.00. Radon and its Decay Products in Indoor Air, edited by
William W. Nazaroff and Anthony V. Nero, Jr, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158, 1988, xxiii + 518 pp. Price: $75.00. I have commented in the past on the tendency of books from different sources, but on similar subjects, to arrive in clusters. The present group is a caSe in point. Radon is presently a ‘hot topic’, especially in my part of the world, where relatively young rock is exposed, and forms the ultimate support of every building. However, it appears now that many other parts of the country have their own problems. These three volumes are each very much what the title announces. The first is a general treatment of radon, beginning at a quite elementary level, and covering most aspects ofits problems at about the level of an undergraduate textbook. The second is, while it has some general material, very much devoted to its announced subject, and the same is true of the third. The first and third volumes represent invited collaboration, are set in type, and are indexed, the third to a greater depth than the first. The second is a conference proceedings, produced in offset from typed copy, deliberately not referred
for the sake of rapid publication, and for the same reason not indexed. All seem useful volumes in their respective intended uses. If the titles are of interest, then it is probably well worthwhile to look at these comparatively early products of the present concern with element number 86. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Toxic Contamination in Large Lakes, Vol. I, Chronic Effects
of Toxic Contaminants in Large Lakes, Vol. II, Impact of Toxic Contaminants on Fisheries Management, Vol. III, Sources, Fate, and Controls of Toxic Contaminants, Vol. IV, Prevention of Toxic Contamination in Large Lakes, edited by Norbert W. Schmidtke, Lewis Publishers, Inc., P.O. Drawer 519, Chelsea, MI 48118, 1988, Vol. I, xiv + 364 pp., Vol. II, xiv + 330 pp., Vol. III, xvi + 440 pp.,Vol. IV, xii + 321 pp. Price: $49.95 each. In 1986 the State of Michigan was host to the “World Conference on Large Lakes,” held on Mackinac Island, presumably for inspiration. The Proceedings are now out in four separate volumes, each corresponding to a ‘session’ of the Conference. In each session, the lead paper is a ‘summary’. The summaries are thematic rather than substantive, and serve chiefly to frame a set of conference recommendations in the area of that session. Each volume has a relatively shallow index. Volume IV repeats all these summaries, including its own, and repeats all indices, including its own. Volume IV also includes a block of three papers from China; it is not clear whether these were presented at the conference, or submitted in writing subsequently. All volumes are reproduced in relatively clean offset from typed copy. It is my impression that everything was retyped once, since the typefaces are not particularly diverse. It also appears, though there is no assurance, that essentially all papers from the conference are here represented. This is an interesting model for conference proceedings, covering an area of at least ancillary interest to a good portion of the readership of this Journal. It is a bit much to expect many of our readers who are not actively involved in water pollution as well as air pollution to acquire personal copies, but a look at library copies where they are available may well provide some interesting insights. In addition. of course, one of the demonstrable sources of water contamination is air, and at least a few authors here also publish in the air pollution literature. This appears to have been a very well-supported conference. Those who are interested in the subject should look these volumes over. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Sunsmoke, James Killus, The Berkley Publishing Group. 200
Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016,1985, 182 pp. Price: $2.75, paperback. In the late 195Os,when I first got into the air pollution area, all enforcement of air pollution regulations was delegated to the local level, if there was any real enfor~ment authority at all. Surveying the scene at the time, I found that the local enforcement officers had a hard time being taken seriously by industry and the population, or even their own government personnel. I remember remarking a number of times that the situation would not improve until there was a television program called “Smog Fighter” that was as popular as the contemporary police program, “Dragnet.” In a sense, I proved a poor prophet, because other ways were found for pollution control to be taken seriously, at least
News Section
first course in the acid deposition story from a number of viewpoints. Discussion questions following each sub-section were recorded and are reproduced, presumably in somewhat edited form. To its credit, this volume does not pretend to give all the answers. It lets the unresolved questions simply lie there, including the question of the propriety or impropriety of the present stand that the state of our knowledge is inadequate to permit effective legislation-a situation in which I personally have considerable sympathy for both sides. By contrast, the second of the two volumes represents a symposium held at a regular national meeting of the American Chemical Society, co-sponsored by four different divisions, and covering both a degree of review and a number of individual research efforts. Once again, the list of authors is impressive, although less recognizable by the layman. This was a good symposium, here represented by a set of papers that were apparently updated sub~quent to presentation, at least in some cases. The review articles are of decent quality, and will be useful to late entries into the field, and to some of us older types who may not invariably catch all the new primary articles as they appear. These papers are produced in offset from the authors’ final versions, leading to diversity in typeface, and in one or two cases, to unfortunate typographical errors (however, I spotted none that really inhibited comprehension). If you are presently at work in the field of acidic deposition (under whatever name or guise), at least access to a library copy of this volume will be useful. The volume edited by White is probably somewhat less of a resource in your own area of expertise, but could be interesting for its discussion of the legal and administrative problems that set boundaries to what is done about your scientific research. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Radon, edited by C. Richard Cothern and James E. Smith, Jr., Plenum Publishing Corporation, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, 1987, xiii + 363~~. Price: $55.00. Environ~n~l
Radon in Ground Water, edited by Barbara Graves, Lewis
Publishers, Inc., 121 South Main Street, P.O. Drawer 519. Chelsea, MI 48118, 1987, xii + 546~~. Price: $39.00. Radon and its Decay Products in Indoor Air, edited by
William W. Nazaroff and Anthony V. Nero, Jr, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158, 1988, xxiii + 518 pp. Price: $75.00. I have commented in the past on the tendency of books from different sources, but on similar subjects, to arrive in clusters. The present group is a caSe in point. Radon is presently a ‘hot topic’, especially in my part of the world, where relatively young rock is exposed, and forms the ultimate support of every building. However, it appears now that many other parts of the country have their own problems. These three volumes are each very much what the title announces. The first is a general treatment of radon, beginning at a quite elementary level, and covering most aspects ofits problems at about the level of an undergraduate textbook. The second is, while it has some general material, very much devoted to its announced subject, and the same is true of the third. The first and third volumes represent invited collaboration, are set in type, and are indexed, the third to a greater depth than the first. The second is a conference proceedings, produced in offset from typed copy, deliberately not referred
for the sake of rapid publication, and for the same reason not indexed. All seem useful volumes in their respective intended uses. If the titles are of interest, then it is probably well worthwhile to look at these comparatively early products of the present concern with element number 86. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Toxic Contamination in Large Lakes, Vol. I, Chronic Effects
of Toxic Contaminants in Large Lakes, Vol. II, Impact of Toxic Contaminants on Fisheries Management, Vol. III, Sources, Fate, and Controls of Toxic Contaminants, Vol. IV, Prevention of Toxic Contamination in Large Lakes, edited by Norbert W. Schmidtke, Lewis Publishers, Inc., P.O. Drawer 519, Chelsea, MI 48118, 1988, Vol. I, xiv + 364 pp., Vol. II, xiv + 330 pp., Vol. III, xvi + 440 pp.,Vol. IV, xii + 321 pp. Price: $49.95 each. In 1986 the State of Michigan was host to the “World Conference on Large Lakes,” held on Mackinac Island, presumably for inspiration. The Proceedings are now out in four separate volumes, each corresponding to a ‘session’ of the Conference. In each session, the lead paper is a ‘summary’. The summaries are thematic rather than substantive, and serve chiefly to frame a set of conference recommendations in the area of that session. Each volume has a relatively shallow index. Volume IV repeats all these summaries, including its own, and repeats all indices, including its own. Volume IV also includes a block of three papers from China; it is not clear whether these were presented at the conference, or submitted in writing subsequently. All volumes are reproduced in relatively clean offset from typed copy. It is my impression that everything was retyped once, since the typefaces are not particularly diverse. It also appears, though there is no assurance, that essentially all papers from the conference are here represented. This is an interesting model for conference proceedings, covering an area of at least ancillary interest to a good portion of the readership of this Journal. It is a bit much to expect many of our readers who are not actively involved in water pollution as well as air pollution to acquire personal copies, but a look at library copies where they are available may well provide some interesting insights. In addition. of course, one of the demonstrable sources of water contamination is air, and at least a few authors here also publish in the air pollution literature. This appears to have been a very well-supported conference. Those who are interested in the subject should look these volumes over. JAMESP. LODGE, JR
Sunsmoke, James Killus, The Berkley Publishing Group. 200
Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016,1985, 182 pp. Price: $2.75, paperback. In the late 195Os,when I first got into the air pollution area, all enforcement of air pollution regulations was delegated to the local level, if there was any real enfor~ment authority at all. Surveying the scene at the time, I found that the local enforcement officers had a hard time being taken seriously by industry and the population, or even their own government personnel. I remember remarking a number of times that the situation would not improve until there was a television program called “Smog Fighter” that was as popular as the contemporary police program, “Dragnet.” In a sense, I proved a poor prophet, because other ways were found for pollution control to be taken seriously, at least