book reviews Environmental Chemistry Stanley E. Manohan, Willard Grant Press, Boston. 1979. iv 490 pp. Figs. & tables. 26 x 18.4 cm.
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This is primarily a chemistry textbook which treats various aspects of envimnmental chemistry as subjects directly rather than as discussion paints to other chemistry subjects. Thus, it is not, far example, a general chemistry text which describes some environmental aspect of s basic chemistry subject. This book should serve best primarily as a textbook for upper level undergraduate or graduate level ehemistry courses. Students or readers should have a solid base in general, organic, and analytical chemistry t o fully henefit from the suhjjecct matter presented. I t eould also serve as a general reference for environmental chemistry since it explains much of the terminology and essentially all of the various aspects important t o the field ofenvimnmmtal ehemistry. T h e hook consists of 17 chapters covering for example; complexation in natural waters, redox equilibria and pE-pH diagrams, environmental reactions of metals, nesticides, organic pollutants and the cummon inorganic pollutants, the particulate phase, water treatment biochemistry, the biochemistry of microorganisms, environmental analytical chemistry and natural resuurces and energy. An important addition t o this third edition is a chapter on environmental biochemistry and chemical toxicology. New questions and problems have been reasonably updated, and coverage is reasonable if one hears in mind that the author has tried t o keep the text concise, a difficult task for such adiversityof subjects. Where pertinent, this book does present a balanced view on environmental problems which sometimes tend to become a t least partly political, economic, ar snciulogieal in nature: High points: This hook treats the area of envinmmental chemistry curnprehensively and concisely but not exhaustively. Aqueous chemistry is particularly well treated. I r w points: T h e calculation of material balances in ~eoehemicalcycles is not covered. Many readers will feel that some subjects should he given much more coverage. An expansion hy several hundred pages could easily he done. Nevertheless, users will find many references t o original work and expansion of any topic can be done by adding original journal references tr, the material presented, something quite necessary in advanced graduate level courses. I highly recommend this hook. I t is essentially unique in its field and is the first good text in an area of ehemistry just now assuming a n identity and importance of its own. Robert Braman university of Swth Fiwid8 Tamp. FC 33620
Advances in Energy Systems and Technology, Vol. 1 Editor: Peter Auer, Academic Press, New York, 1919. v 387 pp. Figs. & tahles. 23.5 X 16 em. 932.50.
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The editor of this hook intends it to he the A60 / Journal of Chemical Education
first of a series of volumes featuring detailed critical reviews of specific topics in energyrelated fields. This volume contains reviews on five topics: wind power, biomass, geothermal energy, synthetic fuels from coal, and district heating. Authors selected generally have good credentials, and they have hy and large written comprehensive, critical essays. T h e chapter on wind power is a complete and detailed analysis of the state of power generation from wind. The author surveys the types of turbines, their aerodynamics, wind concentrators, siting, and economic and environmental considerations. H e concludes t h a t in spite of the problems of tapping an intermittent source, etc., wind power eould make a substantial contribution to our energy requirements. Continuing in the vein of presenting a realistic view, the authors of the chapter on fuels from biomass compare the potential in five countries: the United States, Brazil, India, Sudan, and Sweden. These countries are particularly interesting because they characterize the limits of the various eonstraints placed on fuel production from biamass. In their analyses theauthors conclude that given proper management hiomass eould satisfy the energy recpirements of Brazil and Sudan, t h a t organic wastesin India cauld be used much mare effectively, and that biomass cauld make a small hut not substantial contribution t o the energy requirements of Sweden and the United States. IJnfortunately this chapter suffers from a rather large number of instances of poor sentence construction, inconsistencies in data, and typagraphical errors (eg., C 0 4 and lifestock) which detract from an otherwise excellent work. T h e author of the chapter on geothermal energy departs from the standard of a critical review and assumes a rather strong advocacy position. He catalogs the worldwide distribution of geothermal energy resources and calculates the geothermal resource base of the world. Possible electric and nonelectric uses are surveyed, and both economic and environmental considerations are discussed. T h e chapter "Clean Fuels from Coal" presents a thorough survey of the status of coal conversion in the world today. T h e resource is discussed and various technologies for converting coal are described. Synthetic fuels are not treated as a panacea for dependence on OPEC oil, but the problems of health, environmental, safety, economic, water, manpower, financial, and regulatory constraints are all reviewed. Finally, the author discusses commercialization of synthetic fuels from eoal. T h e last chapter deals with the concept of district heating with a m h i n e d heat and electric power generation. This technique has been used successfully in Europe, particularly in Sweden, and the author advocates that it be adopted in the U.S. The reader is left with the feeling that, in his zeal, this author has neglected some very important din'erenees between European and U.S. cities, fir example, population density. The overwhelming resources required t o construct a generatingfaeilityin a city plus the hot walerdistrihution systems are treated lightly. In summary, the bouk is not likely to find use as a textbook, but it definitely is a n a u thoritative resource for people interested in the statlls of oarticular enerev ,.. technololries. The hook itself is attractivelydrmr and well organized. However, the editor s h w l d have
required more consistent quality reviews, and he should have watched more carefully for poor sentence structure and inconsistencies in data. Edward A. Waltets University of New Mexico Albuquerque. NM 87131
Symmetry and Spectroscopy Daniel C. Harris and Michael D. Rertolueci, Oxford University Press, New York, 1978. xii 542 pp. Figs. and tahles. 23.5 X 15.5 cm. $16.00.
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T h e advent of inexpensive, accurate spectrometers and their imoortance in elucidatine
course in molecular spectroscopy. Such courses often require a detailed knowledge of the application of group theory t o chemical problems, as well as a qualitative understanding of the power and elegance of quantum mechanics. "Symmetry and Speetmscopy" is a textbook designed t o use such an approach for instruction in methods of interpreting molecular spectra. The primary fmus of this haak is to present the applications of group theory t o the interpretation of uv, visihle, and infrared spectra without assuming a high level of background knowledge. The text is divided into five chapters which address the fundamentals of group theory, qualitative aspects of quantum mechanics, vibrational spectroscopy, molecular orbital theory and eketronic spectroscopy. Each chapter features a large nurnher of relevant prohlems through which students can test their understanding of text material. More importantly, solutions t o these problems, (often acampanied by detailed explanatkms), can he found in an appendix. Appendices also include an i m ~ pressive set of character tables and direct products. Numerous figures and line drawings are used t o illustrate significant points throughout the text. Included a t the end of each chapter isa brief compendium nf related reading. The authors use a n informal but highly effective w i t i n g atyle t o present a uniform and consistent treatment of the suhject matter. They have avoided the pitfalls of rwerpowering mathematical or quantum mechanical formulations hy carefully enplaining important concepts in great detail. F ~ c hnew concept is intmducpd and explained as needed, applied, illustrated with experimental results, and then reviewed in pmhlem sets. T h e text sucresslidly incuqxrates most of the significant material cm gnrup theory contained in Cottcm's "Chemical Applications of Group Theory" I h h n Wiley & Srms, N.Y., 1971). and on mderolar orbital theory rcmtained in Ballhausen and Gra.v's "Molecular Orhitnl Theory" l\V. A. Benjamin, N.Y., IOli5). Inadditirm. a significant p w t i m i f t h e text is devcted to the interpretation and siynificance of vihraticlnal ICrintinurd on p o p A621
