Methods of Air Sampling and Analysis, 3rd ed. James I? Lodge, Jr,, Ed. Lewis Publishers, Inc., 121 South Main Street, Chelsea, MI 481 18. 1989. 763 pages. $80.00, cloth. Reviewed by Larry D. Ogle, Senior Staff Scientist, Analytical Chemistry Department, Radian Corporation, P 0. Box 201088, Austin, lX 78720-1088. Methods of Air Sampling and Analysis is the third publication of a compilation of air sampling and analytical methods adopted by the Intersociety Committee. This committee is composed of experts from eight professional societies who evaluated, codified, and compiled hundreds of methods for the measurement of air contaminants. Although the current edition relies heavily on its two predecessor editions, many new methods have been added to reflect advances in the measurement of air toxics. A book on the methods of air sampling and analysis is an ambitious undertaking. It must discuss many methods for determining source levels of contaminants that may or may not be applicable to ambient-level compounds. Moreover, because of budgetary constraints, the Intersociety Committee has replaced a grand plan for a major program of interlaboratory evaluation of methods with a scheme of occasional round-robin testing where needed. Therefore, although many of the methods certainly have been validated in individual laboratories, not all have been subjected to rigorous interlaboratory studies. All methods described in this book, however, include statements of precision, accuracy, and examples of interference from which the reader can learn quickly how much is known about the dependability of any given method. The book is divided into five separate parts that cover general techniques, methods for ambient air sampling and analysis, methods for measuring chemicals in the air of the workplace and in biological samples, state-of-the-art reviews, and conversion factors. Although each part could itself be the subject of a book, the methods described in each part are interconnected. Part I, which deals with general techniques, contains a great deal of information useful for anyone contemplating collecting air samples. The authors 938
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wisely place “Homogeneity of the Sample” first in this section and state that “No analytical results regardless of the accuracy and precision of the procedure can be any better than the quality of the sample submitted for analysis.” Recognition of total system quality is extremely important in producing accurate and defensible data. This section touches on many different subjects, such as calibration procedures, sample storage, common reagents, photometric techniques, gas chromatography, and precision and accuracy, to list some of its 34 topics. Unfortunately, the material on the 10 pages that are concerned with gas chromatography does not provide enough detail to allow a novice to select a column and conditions for a particular analyte and to perform the analysis. It does, however, give a good general overview of the principles of gas chromatography and some excellent references to more detailed publications on the subject. Most of the topics are general, although numerous illustrations and tables help explain how a technique or item of equipment is designed to work. For example, the illustration of isokinetic and nonisokinetic sampling clearly shows the reader the importance of collecting a sample that is representative of all particle sizes present in the stream being sampled. Other important topics in this section are precision, accuracy, and general safety practices. Part 11 presents detailed methods. Major topics include carbon com-
pounds, halogen and halogen compounds, metals, inorganic nitrogen compounds and oxidants, particulates, radioactivity, and sulfur compounds. Specific methods for the sampling and analysis of individual compounds or classes of compounds are discussed under each major topic. For example, Method 101 for the determination of C1 through C5 atmospheric hydrocarbons is found under “Carbon Compounds.” Most methods provide a list of specific analytes for which the methods have been validated. A few exceptions are noted, such as the method for determination of phenols in the atmosphere (gas chromatographic method), which lists phenol as the only analyte for which the method is valid. All methods have been divided into the same sections for comparability. These include principle of method, range and sensitivity, interferences, precision and accuracy, apparatus, reagents, procedure, calibration, calculations, effect of storage, and references. Part III, which covers methods for measuring chemicals in the air of the workplace and in biological samples, uses the same format. It presents a variety of methods for determining levels of organic and inorganic chemicals and discusses topics ranging from the determination of fluoride in urine to the determination of N-nitrosodimethylamine in ambient air. Part IV presents reviews of three very timely subjects: the measurement of strong acids in atmospheric samples, the determination and speciation of ambient particulate sulfur compounds, and source sampling for regulated air pollutants from stationary sources. These reviews are thorough and provide useful information and references. Many recently developed methods, such as the EPA Compendium Methods TO-1 through TO-14 and the emerging methods for sampling indoor air, are not covered in this publication because of the rapid development of new information and the lag time inherent in publishing a book such as this one. Nevertheless, Methods of Air Sampling and Analysis is an excellent reference book for all those involved in the complex field of air sampling and analysis. It is recommended as a reference for novices and for experienced chemists and is a valuable contribution to the field of air sampling.
0013-936W89/0923-0938$01.50/0
0 1989 American Chemical Society
