Editors' Column The Back of the Book Analytical Chemistry's A pages are divided into the front and the back of the book, with the latter containing information on new products and publications that are available from commercial companies. The new products section is further divided into chemicals, including standards, special solvents, reagents, gases, chromatography supports, clinical test kits, and the like and all manner of laboratory equipment from pipets to complex instrument systems costing $100,000 or more. New products enter the market at varying rates over the years, depending on many factors, and include refinements and improvements of existing products, as well as the introduction, more rarely, of totally new instruments or equipment. In recent years much instrumentation has been brought up-todate by incorporation of integrated circuitry, solid-state components to provide digital readout, computer compatibility, and even incorporation of computer functions. Accessories to existing instruments are constantly introduced to aid in special situations and measurements. The way these instruments become improved is an interesting example of how the strides made in one technology are transferred to another and, in this case, improve the performance, accuracy, and precision of measurements that analytical chemists must make. The editors consider these new products to be basic tools for analytical chemists without which they could not effectively function and hence consider keeping our readers abreast of major new developments as part of our editorial mission. Manufacturers over the years have been diligent in providing us with detailed information and photographs. We also find new products at exhibits at technical meetings, the most important of which is, of course, the Pittsburgh Conference held in Cleveland this month. Manufacturers also recognize the need for Analytical Chemistry readers to be informed by advertising in the journal and, in fact, frequently place ads before they prepare and release detailed information to the print media for use in editorial pages. Ads, of course, can include a great deal more information than the short write-ups that must serve our
editorial purposes. The editors make every attempt in their selection of material for the new products section to omit no major instrumentation or equipment. However, many handy lab items, and even necessary lab equipment, cannot be included in any reasonable amount of space. However, all manufacturers are encouraged to supply us with detailed information on new commercial products as they are developed. Commercial literature available to · interested readers and briefly described in our manufacturers' literature section in the back of the book is often highly informative. Included in this designation are some company periodicals that give company-developed applications information, in addition to information on the company's new products, special training courses, and other available services. Manufacturing concerns and instrument companies have taken on the role of educators as part of their marketing practices. Thus, they recognize the need to show just how their products can be applied to practical problems faced by potential buyers. Support for marketing products comes from the company's own applications laboratories. And since high technology is often involved, they offer courses and seminars to prospective customers. These may be free, one-day seminars or two- or three-day short courses available at no or modest charges, or they may be week-long courses. In many cases, the purchase of a major instrument may include a special training program on its use. Courses sponsored by instrument companies or other commercial firms may cost little more or even less than those presented by nonprofit and educational institutions. We urge our readers to avail themselves of all the useful, valuable information and services provided by the dedicated instrument and technical companies whose products, literature, and services are described in our pages. And we urge these companies to continue to supply us with the material that enables us to keep our readers well informed in their specialty areas. Josephine ANALYTICAL
INSTRUMENTATION IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY An ACS Reprint Collection comprising 43 articles from Volumes 41-44 of Analytical Chemistry. Collected by Alan J. Senzel, Associate Editor of Analytical Chemistry.
This up-to-date collection of articles provides an extensive and authoritative account of the latest advances in the various fields of instrumentation.
Over forty articles deal with four broad areas of analytical chemistry—spectrometry, chromatography, electrochemistry, and combination and other techniques. Specific topics focus upon instrument design, biomedical instrumentation, pollution measurement devices, and computer applications.
428 pages (1973) Hardback, $7.95; Paperback, $4.50. Postpaid in U.S. and Canada, plus 40 cents elsewhere.
Petruzzi
Order from: Special Issues Sales American Chemical Society 1155 16th Street, N.W. Washington, D C . 2 0 0 3 6
CHEMISTRY
VOL. 46, NO. 3, MARCH 1974 · 343 A
