Books: When there's only a trace - Analytical Chemistry (ACS

---

Books

When there's only a trace Conceptual and practical information

Trace Analysis: A Structured Approach to Obtaining Reliable Results E. Prichard, G. M. MacKay, and J. Points, Eds. Royal Society of Chemistry c/o American Chemical Society 1155 16th St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 1996, 404 pp.. $125

This book, which was prepared as part of the Valid Analytical Measurement project in the United Kingdom, begins with an interesting and detailed introduction to achieving valid trace analysis and then addresses critically important aspects of sample handling—pretreatment and storage. Although sampling itself is not covered in detail, the reader is referred regularly to relevant literature. Chapters 3 and 4 deal with sample preparation for determining inorganic analytes and emphasize valid analytical determination. In this respect, the book is an improvement many analytical chemistry textbooks. Chapters 5 and 6 are devoted to the problems of organic analyses. Sample preparation methods are followed by measurement methods, emphasizing GC, HPLC, TLC, MS, and isotope dilution MS. The authors give overviews and practical advice on the methods and discuss critical aspects and associated uncertainties of the analytical measurement. These two chapters constitute the bulk of the text and are helpful to the practicing analytical 184 A

chemist. They are filled with commonsense comments from experienced analytical chemists, and they give a refreshingly pragmatic approach to the problems described. The chapter on the analysis of speciated elements starts off boldly but falls flat amidst the minutiae of certain instrumental methods and wanders off the subject. From this point, the text shifts from a structured approach for obtaining reliable results to a description of techniques suitable for both inorganic and organic analytes, with references to methods of ensuring the quality of the instrumentation and maintaining realistic response. It is rather a pity that the authors took this Enzyme Immunoassays: route because some of the comments in From Concept to Product earlier chapters would have been approDevelopment priate and useful in the sections on elecS. S. Deshpande trochemical techniques. Chapman & Hall 115 Fifth Ave. I was disappointed with the chapter on New York, NY 10003 signal processing and reporting of results (Chapter 9). I did notfindit to be a signifi- 1996, 464 pp.. $110 cant or well-written contribution to the book. The section on signal integrity left Thefirstseven chapters cover general me wondering whether the authors really aspects of immunoassay reagents and sepknew their subject. The section on data aration systems. Following an introduchandling was a precis of basic statistical tory chapter, Chapters 2 and 3 discuss methods and was quite well done. Howbasic concepts of antibodies. Chapter 2 ever, it might have been advisable to treat describes the biology of the immune syssuch an important topic in a separate text tem; antibody classification, structure, and or to treat it with a depth that reflected its function; and, briefly, other binding proimportance in the reporting of trace anateins used in various immunoassay configlytical data. The only significant error that urations. Chapter 3 discusses the fundaI found in the book was a rather suspect mental aspects of antigen-antibody interequation in the data-handling section action and elaborates on the optimization of the competitive-type immunoassay. Much of this book is useful to the analytical chemist in carrying out trace analyChapters 4 and 5 deal with issues sursis. It is practical, helpful, modern, and, in rounding the immunogen used in the asmany respects, ageless. There is room for say. Chapter 4 focuses on conjugation improvement in certain areas, and I think strategies used in the preparation of the that the next generations of the text will immunogen or the tracer. Extensive lists be even more valuable than this one. of homobifunctional and heterobifuncReviewed by J. F. Alder, University of tional crosslinkers are provided. Although Manchester Instititu of Science and Tech- conjugation protocols are not given, several references are cited. This chapter nology yU.K.)

Analytical Chemistry News & Features, March 1, 1997