Books
A Manual on Gamma-Ray Spectrometry to provide their own problem sets, because none are included. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to the principal modes of radioactive decay, the interpretation of simple radionuclide decay schemes, and the use of the Chart of the Nuclides. Although the authors suggest that this material can be handled by complete beginners, prior or concurrent exposure to a traditional course in radioPractical Gamma-Ray chemistry would be helpful. Chapter 2 inSpectrometry cludes brief descriptions of photoelectric Gordon Gilmore and John D. Hemingway interactions, Compton scattering, pair John Wiley & Sons production, and bremsstrahlung produc605 Third Ave. tion. Again, this basic material is covered New York, NY 10158 without much background information or 1995, 314 pp., $96 concept development. The remaining 13 chapters cover the After an initial brief look at the Table of practical considerations required to select Contents, my reaction was, "Where was this book when I started out my last group and operate gamma-ray spectrometers, interpret spectra, and achieve quality asof radiochemistry graduate students?" This book first takes the reader through a surance accreditation for analyses based on gamma-ray spectrometry. Chapter 3 2-chapter basic introduction to nuclear science and then in the remaining 13 chap- provides excellent explanations of the theory, fabrication, and operation of semiters through practical considerations reconductor detectors specifically for lated to the selection, setup, operational characteristics, and use of gamma-ray gamma-ray spectrometry. Particle detectors are not included. Different types of despectrometers. The authors based their book on mate- tector-mounting configurations are derial covered in a gamma-ray spectrometry scribed and evaluated. course offered at the Universities ReChapter 4 explores the electronics search Reactor at Risley, England, and used in gamma-ray spectrometry, includstate that their intention was to provide ing electronic noise, pulse shapes, imped"more of a workshop manual than an acaance matching, pole-zero cancellation, demic treatise." As such, mathematics baseline shift, pile-up rejection, resolution has been kept to a minimum and useful enhancements, coincidence and antiequations are most often merely precoincidence gating, multiplexing, multisented, not derived. Each chapter ends scaling and other operational characteriswith a list of "Practical Points" that are tics of preamplifiers, amplifiers, bias valuable in highlighting significant feasupplies, ADCs, and MCAs. This chapter tures, and a list of references is provided. is the heart of the book (~ 42 pages) and by itself justifies making the text required Examples illustrating the use of the reading for any new graduate student or equations are usually presented only as the numerical answers given certain input technician about to undertake projects that require gamma-ray spectrometry. parameters, and the reader is not led through the stepwise calculations. UnforThe second most useful chapter for the tunately, teachers using the book will have apprentice in gamma-ray spectrometry, in 42 A
Analytical Chemistry News & Features, January 1, 1996
my opinion, is Chapter 5, which describes binomial, Gaussian, and Poisson distributions. The older Covell method (briefly) and the more current "total peak area" method for full-energy-peak (FEP) integration are also presented. The authors acknowledge that there is a great deal of confusion about the meaning of "limit of detection," "minimum detectable activity," and "critical limit" and examine these terms with a clarity I have found in few, if any, statistics books. Spectrometer energy, peak width, and efficiency calibrations are considered in Chapter 6. Potential sources of calibration error, such as energy shifts caused by variable source-detector orientation, effects of source-detector distances, pile-up losses, true coincidence summing, and live time correction, are examined. True coincidence summing is considered again in greater detail in Chapter 7, which also includes a useful table of radionuclides suitable for close geometry efficiency calculations. Simple mathematical methods to correct for summing errors are presented, but the authors acknowledge that truly accurate corrections are extremely difficult to use. They also note that correction factors that appear in the literature may not be valid for accurate corrections with one's own spectrometer. Chapter 8 deals with computer analysis of the data collected in gamma-ray spectra. Topics include peak searches, energy calibration, peak limit determination, peak area measurement, multiple peak resolution, radionuclide identification, and setting up of gamma-ray libraries. The overall procedure for a full spectrum analysis is presented as a flow chart, and additional detail is provided in text. Several commercial spectrum analysis programs are mentioned by name and their operating features compared. Chapter 9 presents a brief discussion of scintillation spectrometry and includes
the relative advantages, disadvantages, and applications of different types of scintillation crystals. Chapter 10 deals with the practical problems in choosing, setting up, and checking the manufacturer's specifications of a germanium detector system. The road map type presentation for the installation of a germanium detector system is somewhat repetitious of information presented in earlier chapters. A table is included that identifies the best semiconductor detector to be used for 10 different types of counting applications. Chapter 11 reviews the factors that influence energy resolution in a gamma-ray detection system and concentrates primarily on sources of electronic noise and methods to minimize it. The highlight of Chapter 12 is a table several pages long that lists the most common faults encountered in the operation of a spectrometer system (ground loops, poor resolution, microphonics). The text identifies possible origins of major faults and proposes remedies.
IC for Everyone
Ion Chromatography, 2nd ed. Joachim Weiss VCH 220 E. 23rd St., Suite 909 New York, NY 10010 1995, 465 pp., $95
In most respects this is a veryfinebook. The author's association with the dominant manufacturer of ion-chromatographic instruments and equipment allows him to write authoritatively, and treatment of ion chromatographic topics is generally well balanced because he Chapter 13 covers the special probgives extensive examples from research lems associated with low-count-rate systems. Topics include detector size consid- outside his company. All aspects of ion chromatography, including ion-excluerations, detector shielding, the effects sion chromatography and ion-pair chromaof cosmic radiation, and the reduction of background by Compton suppression and tography, are covered. The book is lavishly illustrated with figures; for example, cosmic ray guard detectors. Chapter 14 the anion-exchange chromatography is also specialized and covers the problems associated with high-count-rate part of Chapter 3 alone contains 127 figures! (>100,000 cps) germanium detector systems. Chapter 15 presents tests necessary Theoretical aspects are covered adefor the establishment of laboratory qualquately, but the book is also rich in the ity control and certification. practical aspects of ion chromatography. This book does not replace more com- The chapter on applications is a wonderful source of information on solving practiprehensive nuclear instrumentation books. Nevertheless, it should be in the li- cal problems. The anion-exchange chromatography sections include thorough, brary of every institution where nuclear clear discussions of anion-exchange resand radiochemistry courses are taught or ins, suppression devices, eluents, and where technicians are trained to do gradient elution. gamma-ray spectrometry. Reviewed by William D. Ehmann, Uni- Inevitably, there are some things about versity of Kentucky, Lexington the book that could be improved. For ex-
ample, Chapter 3 (on ion-exchange chromatography) consumes 184 pages of the total 442 pages of text. It would make sense to at least break this chapter into separate chapters on anion- and cationexchange. In addition, the chapter on detection modes comes near the end of the book. How can all the chromatograms be read intelligently without some earlier discussion of detection modes? Finally, some of the terminology used in the book is different from that used by many chromatographers. For example, the abbreviation "HPICE" is used in the chapter on ion-exclusion chromatography, which seems a bit strange. Nevertheless, this is a book I would recommend highly to practitioners of ion chromatography at all levels. Reviewed by James S. Fritz, Iowa State University, Ames
BOOKS RECEIVED
Electrochemistry for Chemists, 2nd ed. Donald T. Sawyer, Andrzej Sobkowiak, and Julian L. Roberts, Jr. John Wiley & Sons 605 Third Ave. New York, NY 10158 1995, 505 pp., $64.95
Emphasizing practical applications and real-world instrumentation, this book is intended to give chemists, biologists, and materials scientists a solid understanding of the basic principles and methodology of electrochemistry. Chapter topics include potentiometry, controlled-potential methods, titrations and controlledcurrent methods, indicator electrodes, electrochemical cells and instrumentation, solvents, and electrolytes. Applications for a variety of compounds and matrices are included.
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