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The handbook of environmental chemistry, Vol. 2, part B, reactions and processes
Org. Geochem.Vol. 5, No. 1, p. 51, 1983 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain
BOOK REVIEWS
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 2, Part B, Reactions and Processes, edited by O. HUTZINGER. Springer, Berlin, 1982, 205 pp. THIS slender volume comprises nine papers under the common heading of reactions and processes. While the individual titles seem to miss the expectations of such a heading, the material is extremely well researched and lucidly presented. It dearly fulfills the intent of the general editor in dealing with reactions in the environment, and does so in kinetic approaches that have been carefully modelled in the literature. At first it seemed as though environmental processes of conversion and transport were not to be dealt with, but each paper in its own way from its own disciplinary point of view addresses the central issues. The first three papers deal with photochemistry, the third with microbial transformation kinetics and the fourth with biotic processes of transport. Chemical and physical processes of sorption and complexing are dealt with in the next two. Metabolism and pharmocokinetic models are the topics of the last two papers. With obvious overkill in
photochemistry, the reader may be apprehensive that other subtopics may have been left out. The organizational approach leads the reader to believe that nearly all reactions and processes are either photochemical or biotic. Little seems to have been missed however. It is important to note that although this series of books is called a handbook, it is really only a compilation of (excellent) papers. It is not a handbook in the sense that the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a handbook. Quantitation throughout the book is very strong, in concept and detail. Proofing was not as good as in other volumes in the series. The index is good but limited in its usefulness since it is lacking in depth because it covers Vol. A as well as Vol. B. Multiple volumes and subparts are an organizational pain, but one sympathizes with the editor in his problems with getting all the contributions together at one time.
The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada
G. W. HODGSON
list. Data and perspectives are international, with a good balance between American and Western Europe. Little attention, however, is given to illustrations from Eastern Europe, Asia or the Third World. The dominant chapter is "Volatile Aromatics" by Merrari and Zander with thorough treatment of production and emissions, analytical methods, environmental transport, environmental reactions including biodegradation, pollution, uptake and metabolism, and toxicity. English is used in all six chapters. Momentary lapses in spelling and sentence construction are tolerable. One typo was noted. The most serious weakness in this book is the listing of the references without titles and in some cases without adequate detail for search and retrieval.
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 3, Part B, Anthropological Compounds, edited by O. HUTZINGER. Springer, Berlin, 1982, 211 pp. THIS small volume (211 pages) deals with the environmental chemistry of lead; arsenic, beryllium, selenium and vanadium; C~ and C2 halocarbons; halogenated aromatics; volatile aromatics; and surfactants. It follows Part A which was published in 1980 dealing with mercury, cadmium, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, dyes and pigments, and radio-active substances. The six contributions in Part B are independently written but well balanced in a common framework of production, chemistry, distribution, metabolism and toxicity. The treatments are rigorous and well founded in the literature. Nearly 800 references are cited; in general, more than 90% of them refer to publications in the last decade. The writing is crisp and intense, intended for graduate students and practicing scientists, yet readily useful for the non-specia-
G. W. HODGSON
The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada
51
BOOK REVIEWS
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 2, Part B, Reactions and Processes, edited by O. HUTZINGER. Springer, Berlin, 1982, 205 pp. THIS slender volume comprises nine papers under the common heading of reactions and processes. While the individual titles seem to miss the expectations of such a heading, the material is extremely well researched and lucidly presented. It dearly fulfills the intent of the general editor in dealing with reactions in the environment, and does so in kinetic approaches that have been carefully modelled in the literature. At first it seemed as though environmental processes of conversion and transport were not to be dealt with, but each paper in its own way from its own disciplinary point of view addresses the central issues. The first three papers deal with photochemistry, the third with microbial transformation kinetics and the fourth with biotic processes of transport. Chemical and physical processes of sorption and complexing are dealt with in the next two. Metabolism and pharmocokinetic models are the topics of the last two papers. With obvious overkill in
photochemistry, the reader may be apprehensive that other subtopics may have been left out. The organizational approach leads the reader to believe that nearly all reactions and processes are either photochemical or biotic. Little seems to have been missed however. It is important to note that although this series of books is called a handbook, it is really only a compilation of (excellent) papers. It is not a handbook in the sense that the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is a handbook. Quantitation throughout the book is very strong, in concept and detail. Proofing was not as good as in other volumes in the series. The index is good but limited in its usefulness since it is lacking in depth because it covers Vol. A as well as Vol. B. Multiple volumes and subparts are an organizational pain, but one sympathizes with the editor in his problems with getting all the contributions together at one time.
The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada
G. W. HODGSON
list. Data and perspectives are international, with a good balance between American and Western Europe. Little attention, however, is given to illustrations from Eastern Europe, Asia or the Third World. The dominant chapter is "Volatile Aromatics" by Merrari and Zander with thorough treatment of production and emissions, analytical methods, environmental transport, environmental reactions including biodegradation, pollution, uptake and metabolism, and toxicity. English is used in all six chapters. Momentary lapses in spelling and sentence construction are tolerable. One typo was noted. The most serious weakness in this book is the listing of the references without titles and in some cases without adequate detail for search and retrieval.
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, Vol. 3, Part B, Anthropological Compounds, edited by O. HUTZINGER. Springer, Berlin, 1982, 211 pp. THIS small volume (211 pages) deals with the environmental chemistry of lead; arsenic, beryllium, selenium and vanadium; C~ and C2 halocarbons; halogenated aromatics; volatile aromatics; and surfactants. It follows Part A which was published in 1980 dealing with mercury, cadmium, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, dyes and pigments, and radio-active substances. The six contributions in Part B are independently written but well balanced in a common framework of production, chemistry, distribution, metabolism and toxicity. The treatments are rigorous and well founded in the literature. Nearly 800 references are cited; in general, more than 90% of them refer to publications in the last decade. The writing is crisp and intense, intended for graduate students and practicing scientists, yet readily useful for the non-specia-
G. W. HODGSON
The University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada
51