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chemistry of the rare earth elements. There are nine chapters. A brief historical introduction is given in Chapter I, followed by chapters on sample decomposition, qualitative detection, separational procedures, noninstrumental techniques (gravimetric and volumetric), spectrophotometry, spectrography, X-ray absorption and emission spectrometry, and radiochemical techniques. Then follow three useful appendices: Geochemical Associations, Conversion Factors, and Polarography. As the author points out, polarographic procedures are well suited for following the formation of complex rare earth ions and determining their stability constants, but europium and ytterbium are the only rare earth elements that can be determined satisfactorily by means of the polarograph. Notes on the procedures, tables, and graphs add to the usefulness of the book. The literature has been critically surveyed and references are given at the end of each chapter, numbering about four hundred. The book concludes with author and subject indexes. Printing, paper, and cloth binding are good. The book is an authoritative textbook and reference source, not only specialist analyst but also for students of analytical chemistry. JOHN
Department
of Chemistry,
University
of Virginia,
Charlottesville,
for
the
H. YOE, Virginia
Standard Methods of Chemical Analysis. 6th edition. Vol. II, Industrial and Natural Products and Noninstrumental Methods. Part B. FRANK J. WELCHER (editor). D. van Nostrand Co., Princeton, N. J.; Toronto, New York, and London, 1963. xi + pp. 1283-2613. $ZS.OO. The first edition of “Standard Methods of century ago under the editorship of Dr. W. W. University of Southern California. He edited his death, Dr. N. H. Furman (then at Princeton and Volume I of the sixth edition. He is now which is edited by Dr. F. J. Welcher of Indiana
Analysis” appeared almost a half Scott, Professor of Chemistry at the the next three editions, but after University) edited the fifth edition the Advisory Editor of Volume II, University,
The book in this review is Part B of Volume II and is devoted to industrial and methods. All chapters that were in the natural products, and noninstrumental previous edition have been rewritten and enlarged and much new material has been added. Part B begins with Chapter 32 and includes chapters on the following topics: (32) explosives and propellants; (33) natural fats; (34) fertilizers; (35) fuel gases and related products; (36) gas analysis-vacuum techniques; (37) paint, varnish and lacquer; (38) paper, wood and pulp; (39) pesticides; (40) petroleum and petroleum products; (41) plastics; (42) poisons; (43) rubber and rubber products; (44) silicates: glasses, rocks and ferrous slags; (45) soaps and detergents; (46) soils; (47) vitamins; (48) water analysis; (49) water: bacteriological examination; and (SO) water: biological examination. The chapters contain many literature references, figures, tables of useful data, and illustrative calculations. All factors and calculations are based on the 1961 Table of Atomic Weights (based on carbon-12). The book is well indexed (67 pp.) and
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REVIEWS
there is also an index of reagents (4 pp.). Paper, printing, and cloth binding are excellent. Volume II, together with Volume I (“The Elements”) and Volume III (“Instrumental Analysis,” in pvepevation), will be welcomed by all chemists who have need for an authoritative and extensive, yet compact, treatise on standard methods of chemical analysis. JOHN H. YOE, Department
of Chemistry,
Gas Chromatography. Nostrand Co., Princeton, 220 pp. $6.75.
University
of Virginia,
Charlottesville,
Virginia
By D. AMBROSE AND BARBARA A. AMBROSE. D. van N. J.; Toronto, New York, and London, 1962. vii +
Perhaps gas chromatography has had the most rapid growth of any analytical technique during the past decade and promises to rival that of polarography, which began its rapid growth in the 1920’s. The intense interest in gas-liquid chromatography began shortly after the publicastion of a paper on this subject by James and Martin in 1952; now, papers in the literature are numbered in the hundreds. This book is a timely one and is intended to serve as an up-to-date guide for the beginner. Emphasis is on the practical aspects of the subject, but enough theory is included to serve as groundwork for further reading; selected references are given at the end of each chapter, covering the more important aspects of the subject and the major current developments. There are fourteen chapters, which include a liberal use of tables and diagrams. After a general survey which begins with the work of Tswett on chromatography at the turn of the century, the authors describe the early experiments of James and Martin, give an outline (with diagram) of the type of apparatus now in use, and briefly discuss the temperature of operation and the relationship between gas-liquid chromatography and distillation, pointing out the one difference of great practical importance, namely, “the absence in gas-liquid chromatography of an interference with separation such as is caused by azeotropy in distillation.” The next three chapters are devoted to a description and discussion of apparatus and deal with the column, its packing, temperature, the carrier gas, injectors, and various types of detection systems. The following topics are covered in the remaining ten chapters: retention volumes, column performance, high efficiency columns, separations and selective solubility, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, gas analysis, preparative gas chromatography and the trapping of components, gas-solid chromatography, and instructional apparatus. The book concludes with an appendix giving a short description of simple apparatus suitable for teaching purposes, and another that lists equipment manufacturers. Subjects and authors are listed in a single index. Paper, printing, and cloth binding are of good quality. The book will be useful to teachers of analytical chemistry and to those who wish to use gas-chromatography as an analytical technique applicable to a wide variety of problems. JOHN
Department
of Chemistry,
University
of Virginia,
Charlottesville,
H. YOE,
Virginia