BOOK REVIEWS Polorogrophic Techniques
Louis Meiles, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, New York. 2nd ed. Interscience Publishers ( a division of John Wiley and Sons, Inc.), New York, 1965. 752 pp. Figs. and tables. xvii 15.5 X 23.5 em. $19.50.
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no general treatise on polarography has appeared since 1957. It is written as a textbook and will be of value to teacher and student alike, as well as to research workers engaged in or contemplating polarogmphic studies. The order and method of presentation of thesubject matter have been retained from the earlier edition, but every chapter has been reworked and expanded until there is hardly a paragraph left unaltered. Since the polarographic fundamentals of 10 years ago are still the same today, no condensation of this materid was possible, hence the new edition is more than twice its former length. The main text is followed by revised appendixes on troubleshooting and on polarographio characteristics of inorganic substances. By sacrificing the literature references to the latter some space was gained to add a new third appendix on polarographic characteristics of organic substances for which about 600 representative compounds were selected. A novel feature of this book is found in Chapter 2 on instrumentation. I t is a comparison and evaluation of available polarographs of domestic and foreign manufacture, covering a price range of $210 to $4990. Unfortunately two widely advertised domestic newcomers (by Heath Co. and Beckman Instruments, Ino.) did not get included, but the neophyte should have no difficulty m evaluating these on the basis of the tabulated data. Chapter 3 on the limiting current has been expanded to include nonadditive cnrrents and capacity waves, while Chapter 4 an the thwry of the current-potential curve now includes such topics as irreversible and quasi-irreversible processes as well as double layer structure and its effect on kinetic parameters. An outline of the correlation between half-wave potential and structure has been added to the treatment of half-wave potentials (Chapter 5). Different types of maxima and the prevalent theory are described in Chapter 6 which is followed by a chapter on quantitative polarographic analysis containing many practical suggestions. A new Chapter 8 on other voltammetric indicatar electrodes became necessary. Here are described stationary and rotating, noblemetal and other solid, besides hanging drop and mercury pool electrodes. A discussion of amperometric titration with two polarized electrodes was added to Chapter 9 on amperometric titrations. Chapter 10 on related techniques now contains such topies as stripping analysis, (Cmtinued on page A10961
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Journal of Chemical Education
BOOK REVIEWS coulometrio titratious, chronupotentiomd r y , differential and derivative voltsmmetry, and cyrlir and pulse techniques, hesides controlled-potential electrolysis and coulometry at. controlled potential which had been in the earlier edition. Although t,reatment of these techniques is in outline only, it appears tn he adequate t o indicate their usefulness and limitations. The book is written in an authoritative manner and reflects the personal hias of the author. For instance, one fails to find significa~~t information on the hydrogen wave, one of the oldest topic; in polarogmphy, or on the protein waves which have been the subject of many hundreds of papers. This is not offered as a criticism hilt as a comment, hecanse selertion of suhject matter becomes necessary in this ever-expanding field if one wants to stay r i t h i n a limited amount of space. Since it now requires the s c n ~ t i n yof 600 pages where formerly 200 sufficed to know ahoot polarography, one ia tempted to suggest that the book might he improved by a clear separation of the simple basic theory and practical suggestions from the mow refilled and complicated theoretical eonsiderations. OTTOH. ~ I B L L E R Stale University o j New Y o 4
Analytical Appliratlonr of Ion Exchangers
Jdms InczMy, Techniral Cniveraity, Budapest. Translated by .I. Pdll, Technical University. Trans. ed. by 1 William, College of Advanced Technology, Birmingham, England. Pergamon Press, Inc., Long Island Cit>-, New York, 1966. xi 443 pp. Figs. and tables. 14.5 X 22.5 em. 517.50.
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This is a translation of a hook which first appeared in the Hongarian language in 1962. A German edition appeared in 1964, and now we have an English edition, somewhat revised and updated, references through the first part of 1962. The heart of the hook ic in t,he three chapters, Chapters 6 to 8, which describe the applications of ion exchange to quantitative and qualitative inorganic analpis and ta organic analysis. These occupy nearly half of the hook. .i strong featme is the inclusion of malty representative analytical procedures with wflirient experimental detail bhat thev cau heused in the temperature alloys to polyvinyl acetate, amino-acids, and the alkaloids of ipecacuana mot. 31any of the procednres come from Central and Eastern European journals that m e not readily accessible to American renders. The chapter an quantitative inorganic nnalysis has 526 references and inrludes n table of chram.zlographic separations 27 pages long. That on qualitative analysis includes a tnhulnr
(Conlinurrl on page -110.94) A1092
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Journal o f Chemical Education
