Books vices in the chapter that reviews both the types of systems commonly encountered in practice and the current interpretation of the nature of the atomization processes which occur in these. Flameless atomic absorption techniques are also taken into consideration in all of the other chapters, including those devoted to technique, the individual elements, and specific applications. A particularly useful feature of the book, seen from the viewpoint of the reader who might have a general interest in the applicability of the technique, is the final chapter concerned with its application in specific disciplines. This chapter is well documented with references that allow more detailed information on specific applications to be readily obtained. The format is most satisfactory. The important information is easily found and is presented in lucid style. The book is well produced and illustrated, and few errors were noticed by this reviewer. It can be given unqualified recommendation both as a tutorial text in the technique and an upto-date review of its present status.
New Books Radiotracer Techniques and Applications, Vols. 1 and 2. E. Anthony Evans and Mitsuo Muramatsu, Eds. Vol. 1, xiii + 687 pages. Vol. 2, xiii + 1211 pages. Marcel Dekker, Inc., 270 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10017. 1977. Vol. 1, $65; Vol. 2, $49.75
A total of 23 chapters on radiotracer techniques contributed by 37 international experts is presented in this twovolume series. The fundamental techniques in the design of tracer experiments are discussed in chapters 1-7 of the first volume. These include the selection of radionuclides, safety aspects of radiotracer experiments, measurements of radioactivity with special emphasis on biological samples, the preparation and analysis of radioactive compounds, and the problems associated with the natural decay process in storage. Also in volume 1 are chapters 8-14 which deal with basic chemical problems such as the special behavior of radionuclides at maximum isotopic abundance, isotope effects, exchange processes, solution properties, and diffusion and interfacial phenomena. Chapters 15-20 in volume 2 describe many applications of radiotracer techniques to biological research. These include applications to studies of biosynthesis, drug metabo-
lism, cytology, enzyme assays, metabolism of chemicals used in agriculture, and marine biology. The final three chapters are of special interest to clinical investigators. These chapters deal with the assay of drugs and hormones by competitive protein binding (including radioimmunoassay), diagnostic applications of radionuclides, and a discussion on development of radioactive drugs in the treatment of cancer. Both volumes are reproduced from typewritten text. Dithizone. H.M.N.H. Irving, iv + 106 pages. The Chemical Society, Burlington House, London, W1V 0BN, England. 1977. $14.50
This short monograph published as volume 5 of a series of topics of interest to analytical chemists is concerned with the organic reagent, dithizone. The monograph reviews in great detail the chemistry of dithizone from its initial introduction by Hellmuth Fischer in 1925 to the status of the reagent in the contemporary analytical practice. The review concentrates on theoretical aspects at the expense of practical details, which can be best obtained from the original literature. The contents include the introduction, the properties of dithizone, metaldithizone complexes and their formulae, the photochemistry of metal dithizonates, the extraction of metal dithizonates, the less familiar dithizone complexes, organometallic dithizonates, practical considerations, some additional applications of dithizone, and some unresolved problems.
Computer-Assisted Structure Elucidation (ACS Symposium Series 54). Dennis H. Smith, Ed. viii + 1 5 1 pages. American Chemical Society, 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. 1977. $15.50
The papers collected in this volume illustrate the ways in which computers can be used in the elucidation of unknown molecular structures. The papers were originally presented at a symposium sponsored by the Division of Chemical Information at the 173rd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Orleans, 23 March 1977. Methodologies discussed include library search techniques, automated interpretation of data, pattern recognition, structure generation, and ranking of candidate structures based on prediction of spectroscopic or chemical behavior. The book is reproduced from author-furnished typewritten text.
1250 A • ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 49, NO. 14, DECEMBER 1977
Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography. R. W. May, E. F. Pearson, and D. Scothem. vii + 109 pages. The Chemical Society, Burlington House, London W1V 0BN, England. 1977. $14.40
As is evident from the total pages, the text is a short monograph intended for the practicing analyst. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction to gas chromatography and will be of interest only to those unfamiliar with the technique. The several different types of pyrolyzers are described in chapter 2, and the major analytical uses of pyrolysis-GC are presented in chapter 3. Chapter 4 deals with the identification of the pyrolysis products eluted from the chromatograph column. The necessity for standardization in pyrolysis-GC is discussed in chapter 5.
Continuing Series The Determination of Sulphur-containing Groups, Vol. 3: Analytical Methods for Sulphides and Disulphides. M.R.F. Ashworth. xi + 220 pages. Academic Press Inc., 111 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10003. 1977. $21.50
This monograph belongs to the long-standing series, "The Analysis of Organic Materials", edited by R. Belcher and D.M.W. Anderson. This volume, the third on the determination of sulfur-containing groups, presents various analytical methods for sulfide and disulfide compounds in which the sulfur group is carried primarily by a carbon atom joined either to hydrogen or to another carbon atom. These compounds include thiaand dithia-alkanes, cycloalkanes, and arenes. Of the many heterocyclic structures theoretically eligible for treatment, only the important thiophenes and biotin have been included. Methods for amino acids such as cysteine, and homocysteine, methionine, and lantionine are presented only where they are clearly dependent on the disulfide or sulfide group. In the compilation of analytical methods, the author has chosen to limit the description of each method to only a brief discussion to allow for the introduction of a large number of methods for which the reader can consult the original literature for full details. The space is equally divided into Part I (sulfides) and Part II (disulfides). Each part is further divided according to the type of reaction, reagents, bond cleavage, and the types of analytical methods used. The literature references include some as recent as 1975.
