Atomic absorption spectroscopy. Applications in agriculture, biology and medicine: G. D. Christian and F. J. Feldman, John Wiley and Sons Ltd., London, 1970, 490 pp., 155 s.

✍ Scribed by G.K. Billings

• Book ID: 102621430
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1972
• Weight: 59 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0002-1571
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-1571(72)90025-8

✦ Synopsis

This will prove to be a very useful book to anyone using atomic absorption regardless of field of application. It is lucidly written and contains few printing errors.

Part I concerning principles and theory is somewhat long, about 40% of the book. However, sections of Part I, particularly Chapter 3 (Instrumental Parameters), are very useful. Chapter 4 (Interferences) is an introduction to the subject. It does not adequately reference specific interference data published in other books. This is partly offset by discussions of interferences per particular element later in the book. However, even in these later sections, reference is insufficient to interferences noted in non-biological applications.

It seems we all put a chapter concerning commercial instruments in our books on atomic absorption. I'm beginning to think this is a waste of paper.

Part II, Applications, discusses the occurrence and method of analysis for some 53 metals, the lanthanides and some nonmetals.

Chapter 10 (Methods of Sample Preparation) is written for those interested in the analysis of biological material. Thi~ chapter is quite useful to anyone analyzing organic matter for trace elements, such as soil chemists and geochemists. I found some particularly useful information concerning some of the analytical problems of coal analysis even though coal is not mentioned.

The remaining chapters are concerned with the occurrence and analysis for specific elements. These are well done except for one weakness. In those cases in which no extensive biological application is known, the sections should have been amplified by inclusion of information known for that element from other applications.