BOOK REVIEWS Methods in Geochemistry
Edited by A. A. Smales, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, England, and L. R. Wagner, University Museum, Oxford University. Ioterscience Publishers. Inc.. New York. 464 i p . F&. and tables: 1960. vii 16 X 23.5 cm. $13.50.
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This book deals with instrumental methods of analysis and would be a. more i n h c s t i n g text for a course in Instrummtsl Analysis than many textbooks designed for such courses. Thirteen Brit,ish authorities contribute 11 chapters covering flame photometry, colorimetry, spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescent spectrog-
raphy, mass spectrometry, radioohomistry, neutron activation analysis, palsrogrsphy, and ion exchange methods. The material is covered with thoroughness in explicit detail, as for example bhe paragraph on page 35 entitled Precision (Reproducibility) and Aecuraoy (Approach to the Truth). Many references to the original literature are given, e.g., 167 references s t the end of chapter 7. Not all of theso refcronces are oorrectly oorrelated with the tcxt, an for example the reference on psge 52 to reference 20 a t the end of chapter 3. Reference is mad? to instruments which are largely of British manufacture, c.g., the Evans Electroseleninm, Ltrl., flame photometer, which may limit the usefulness of the book sliehtlv in the 1J.S. How-
it will make little difference whether the "black box" in the illustration is a Univector polarograph (Fig. 7, opposite page 376) or the Sargent Model XII. Some excellent illustrative material is provided such as the flow sheet for rapid silicate analysis from the U. S. G. S. Bulletin 1036-C on page 73, and the ohart of half wave potentials for pohrography on page 364 which is more extensive than that of V. Majer, Chem Rar., 24,74 (1939). Some of the material, such as chapter 4 by Taylor and Ahrens whioh covers speetrochemical analysis in 26 pages, may seem a litt,le brief. Closer examination shows, however, that most of the import m t points are covered and adequate references to other sources for more d e tails are given. Such an approach is about right for a geologist who wants to do some spectroscopy but does not want t o wade through all the detail in one of the longer treatises on spectroscopy. Two chapters are devoted to the mass spectrometer, one of the most useful tools to the geochemist. One chapter deals entirely with isotope dilution analysis with which cesium in gold foil can be detected with a sensitivity of 10-f microgram. The chapter on neutron activation analysis by D. Mapper of the Harwell Laboratory includes references up through 1958, such as the interesting work of Smsles,(Mapper, and Wood on t,he analysis of micrometeoritic spherules by this method. The sometimes baffling (to U. S. readers) British tradition of indexing is maintained. For example, the reador will have to find "step sector" on psge 98 for himself, but tt. law-breakers, laboratory" are carefully located for him on psge 13 as the only entry under J.
J. A. SCHUFLE New Mexico Inslitute of Mining aud Technology Socorro
Advancer in Fluorine Chemistry. Volume 1
Edited by M . Slacey and J . C. Tallow, both of University of Birmingham, England, and A. G . Sha~pe,Cambridge University, England. Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1960. vii 203 pp. Figs. and tables. 16 X 25 cm. 58.
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A few years ago several highly iluthoritlttive review articles appeared in "Fluorine Chemistry," volumes 1 and 2, edited by J. H. Simons. The valuable and useful service of this sort of publication is now being continued in "Advanoes in Fluorine Chemistry." The editors "hope to make the series international and to attract articles from leading investigators in every country." They "intend to report in turn on fundamental advances in all maim branches of the subject and to provide accounts of developments in the industrial field
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The excellent articles in volume 1 are an outgrowth of the International Can(Continued on page A27t)
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journal of Chemical Education
