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Chemical Information Retrieval Use of the Chemical Literature: An Introduction to Chemical Information Retrieval. Samuel H. Wilen. 8 audiotape cassettes (8.8 hours) + 292-page manual + 75-page workbook of exercises. Dept. of Educational Activities, American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. 1978. $225 Reviewed by John P. Walters with the assistance of David E. Tylec, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. 53706 In overview, this is a valuable and extensive self-education course suitable for individual use or independent, directed study at either the graduate or undergraduate level. T h e latter approach was used to generate this review. With the modern literature explosion, it is particularly difficult to use popular indices, abstracts, journals, and other literature sources in a systematic and comfortable manner without investing major amounts of time in the task. This is one of the goals Wilen addresses, and rather successfully. In an audio course, voice tone and enunciation are important. Professor Wilen gets high marks on both. T h e quality of the figures in the workbook is adequate to good, and its layout is generally conducive to study. T h e quality of the tapes is also good. Good comprehension of the course material requires significantly more time than the running times of the tapes. Simply listening to them once will not result in clear understanding or retention of the material—mainly because the pace is fast, and new vocabulary is constantly introduced. For good retention, it is necessary to go through the entire tape set, stopping the tape frequently to make notes in the manual. This provides a general idea of what the course covers. It is then necessary to go back and listen to the tapes again, rereading the first notes. Frequent stopping of the tapes is necessary in order to analyze the figures closely. Without periodic access to a library, the course will not be as effective as it will with a visit to a complete chemistry library at the end of each major section. It is necessary to h u n t down the literature presented in each course
section, as well as to work some of the library exercises presented. In this sense, the course does require a "laboratory," and it is weaker if the s t u d e n t cannot provide it. It can be expected t h a t approximately two to three times the length of the tape will be required for first review, or about IV2 hours per tape. For the second review, about 35-50% of the initial time will be needed. T h e exercises (i.e., lab work) can require a great deal of time if they are done without reference to the answers. A realistic estimate would be 25 hours. T o complete the course with good understanding should then require about 60 hours total time. It is not realistic to expect to work eight-hour days on this one topic. If it were done by spending two evenings per week at home (four hours) with one afternoon per week (four hours) in a library, the course probably could be completed in less t h a n 10 weeks total. Encouraging university students to keep up with the literature presupposes teaching them how to do so. This course will function superbly for this, if given over a one-semester period for one to two credits of independent study (undergrad) or for the minor (graduate). Two to three persons could take the course concurrently, and largely at their own pace. We believe the course is generally excellent. It lives up to its claims well. There are some weaknesses, however, and they occur in varying degrees in the different tapes. T h e focus of the course is on organic chemistry, and this requires a fluency that, if lacking, may slow learning. For example, the explanation of Wissweiser Line Notation on T a p e 5 is difficult because of its generality. It is hard to understand Beilstein on Tape 10, possibly due to the amount and nature of the material (also, much of it is in German). There were other points where a research interest in, for example, emission spectroscopy demanded time out for elementary review t h a t would not be required from a practicing organic chemist. Finally, some of the tapes were very quickly paced (e.g., 1,10) and required many stops for study of the figures. Others (e.g., 2, 3, 5 and 8) required too much turning back and forth between figures.
However, considering the immensity of the task, this ACS course must be commended for its success in opening up the use, if not the content, of the chemical literature. Professor Wilen has invested a great amount of work in the course. If it is taken seriously, it is a real bargain. A longer, more thorough review by Prof. Walters and Mr. Tylec, with a complete description of the tapes, is available from the publisher.
Analysis with Ion-Selective Electrodes. Josef Vesely, Dalibor Weiss, and Karel Stulik. 245 pages. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 605 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016. 1978.$40 Reviewed by John K. Taylor, Center for Analytical Chemistry, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234 This book is the latest of a number of books concerned with ion-selective electrodes—attesting to the growing importance of this relatively new tool for both chemical analysis and monitoring of industrial processes. Its emphasis is on applications, in contrast to most of the others in which theory predominates. In fact, theory, principles, and instrumentation are reviewed merely in the first two chapters, constituting less than one-third of the book. A chapter on experimental techniques, which discusses the preparation of samples and methods of continuous and discontinuous measurement, follows. T h e remainder of the book describes virtually all of the types of analysis to which ion-selective electrodes have been applied u p to the year 1976. Included are 839 literature references. An appendix contains 10 tables including R T / F factors, activity coefficients, conversion factors for p p m to mole/liter, and values useful in applying the standard addition/subtraction techniques. While the important analytical processes are discussed in some detail, the book is not a collection of procedures. However, the detailed references included will facilitate access to the original literature where these procedures can be found.
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Books Because of its different scope, the present book complements rather than competes with the other books that have recently appeared in this field. It is conveniently arranged and should provide ready access to the burgeoning applications of ion-selective electrodes that have been developed in recent years. Spectrochemical Analysis by Atomic Absorption. W. J. Price, xi + 392 pages. Heyden & Son Ltd., 274 South 41st St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104. 1979. $28.50
Reviewed by Kenneth W. Busch, Department of Chemistry, Baylor University, Waco, Tex. 76703 As the title suggests, this book discusses the use of atomic absorption spectrometry for performing spectrochemical analysis. As the author states in the preface, the emphasis of the book is ". . . to provide enough theory on which to build the operational detail as well as to give a self-contained amount of most application fields." To a large extent, the author has successfully fulfilled his goal, and has
produced a well-organized, clearly written account of the modern laboratory practice of analytical atomic absorption spectrometry. This book would certainly be of use to anyone associated with the laboratory practice of AA, both as a reference book covering the fundamental principles of AA and as a handy laboratory manual for quick reference to the pertinent analytical data on the elements. Because the discussion of the fundamental principles of AA is essentially nonmathematical, the reader need not already be an expert in the area to comprehend the discussion. In this respect, the book should also be useful to a wide variety of scientists whose primary area of expertise may lie outside the area of analytical chemistry but who nevertheless must use atomic absorption in some phase of their work. The book consists of nine chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 cover historical aspects, terminology, and basic principles, including line width considerations in AA. Chapter 3 discusses the formation of atomic vapors by means of flame atomizers, hydride genera-
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tion, and electrothermal atomizers. Chapter 4 discusses the instrumental requirements for performing AA, including such components of the optical system as hollow cathode lamps, pre-slit optics, and background correctors. The use of microprocessors for electronic linearization of calibration curves is also discussed. Chapter 5 discusses the desirable features that should be present in a good quality commercial AA spectrophotometer. This material should be quite useful to anyone contemplating the purchase of an instrument. Chapter 6 deals with the analytical technique of flame AA including operation of the instrument (optical alignment, care and adjustment of the nebulizer, lighting the flame, optimization), calibration (types of calibration curves, causes of nonlinearity, instrumental correction for nonlinearity), sample preparation, interferences, and a discussion of the use of flame AA in trace- and majorcomponent analysis. Chapter 7 covers the analytical technique required with electrothermal atomizers, including a discussion of drying, ashing, and atomization of samples, and the use of
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ash/atomization curves to determine proper instrumental settings. Background absorption and scatter are discussed, and procedures for testing the efficiency of background correction are given. Chapter 8 discusses the analytical application of AA, dividing the area into water analysis, metallurgical, inorganic, organic, and biochemical domains. Chapter 9 gives pertinent analytical data on the elements, including oxide dissociation energies, ionization potentials, oscillator strengths, wavelengths of strongest absorption, detection limits, less sensitive analysis lines, best flame types, possible interferences, guidelines for ashing and atomization temperatures with electrothermal atomizers, and extraction systems. Finally, an appendix lists the names and addresses of manufacturers of atomic absorption equipment. Laboratory Handbook of Chromatographic and Allied Methods. O. Mikes, Ed. 764 pages. Halsted Press, 605 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016. 1979. $89.50
Reviewed by H. Engelhardt, Angewandte Physikalische Chemie, Universitat des Saarlandes, 6600 Saarbrucken, West Germany Any scientist ought to be able to write a monograph about his own specialty for an audience of fellow specialists. It is more difficult, however, to write a laboratory handbook about one's specialty. First, the audience is likely to be wider, including technicians and scientists from other specialties. Second, the content is expected to be both theoretical and practical. It is doubly difficult for a scientist to write a laboratory handbook that includes fields which are only marginally related to his specialty. Because of this, most wide-ranging handbooks are written by several authors; then, many of the difficulties fall to the editor. The reviewer, on the other hand, is in a much stronger position. He can take those fields in which he feels himself to be an expert and judge the whole book on these chapters. This laboratory handbook was written by 14 contributors working in different Czechoslbvakian research institutions with chromatographic, electromigration and distribution techniques. It is a replacement of the 1966 edition of the same handbook, but despite its 1979 publication date, there is hardly a reference beyond 1974. The space given to the several techniques does not reflect their importance in the current use of chromatographic tech-
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Books niques. Paper chromatography is dis cussed for 85 pages, whereas "Adsorp tion Chromatography" is discussed for only 67 pages. Reversed phase chro matography is mentioned several times as a technique in the paper chromatography section, but with only two sentences as a footnote, and one chromatogram (a separation with po rous layer beads) in the column chro matography section. However, the evaluation of steroid structure by paper chromatography using A R M values is discussed in detail. T h e mod ern technique of column liquid chro matography (HPLC) is mentioned only marginally, although there is a chapter on "Automation and Mecha nization of Column Operations in Liq uid Chromatography" (37 pages) which contains references to manufac turers' literature up to 1974. Besides the three chapters already described, the history and classifica tion of chromatography are the subjects of a chapter as is the theory of chromatography, which is addition al to and different in approach from t h a t described in the gas chromatogra phy section (96 pages). Ion exchange chromatography (115 pages), gel chro matography (50 pages), affinity chro matography (38 pages), thin layer chromatography (61 pages), counter current distribution (27 pages), and electromigration methods (75 pages) are the subjects of the other chapters. T h e book offers a lot of practical hints for practitioners of classical chromatography, for instance, those working in laboratories having insuffi cient funds at their disposal and wish ing to work with cheap materials and equipment. It is doubtful, however, if these laboratories could afford to buy this book.
New Books The Sadtler Handbook of Proton NMR Spectra, 2 volumes. W. W. Simons, Ed. vi + 1254 pages; 456 pages. Sadtler Research Laboratories, Inc., 3316 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104. 1978. $150 for 2 volumes T h e first volume contains approxi mately 3000 spectra with ordering based on functional group. T h e em phasis of the text and tables is on the chemical shifts exhibited by the groups of spectra. T h e solvent used in recording the spectrum is indicated in tabulated data in the chapter head ings. T h e second volume is the index for the spectra in the first volume. It contains the book order index (func-
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