... December, 19731 THE ANALYST 111Modern Analytical Methods is one of TheChemical Society’s series of paperbackmonographs which present concise andauthoritative accounts of selected welldefined topics in chemistry for those whoteach the subject at ‘A’ level and above andfor students of further and higher education.It discusses the principles underlying themost important methods of quantitative andqualitative analysis used today. Samplesfor analysis may arise from diverse sourcesand contain a variety of molecules orelements at various levels of concentration.Thus separation methods, organic reagents,nuclear, electrochemical, spectroscopic andtitrimetric methods are amongst those dealtwith in some detail. Within the bounds ofelementary algebra, equations are developedwhich show how the optimum conditions forthe application of a method may be deducedand conditional constants are usedthroughout. The numerous illustrationssupport the text by clarifying principles or byexemplifying important methods which aredealt with briefly because they do not involvenew principles.234pp 75 diagrams f2.00 I (CS Members S1.50)ISBN 0 85186 759 6MONOGRAPHSFOR TEACHERSModernAnalyticalMethodsby D.BETTERIDGEand H. E. HALLAMOrders enclosing the appropriateremittance, should be sent to:The Publication Sales Officer, TheChemical Society, Blackhorse Road,Letchworth, Herts SG6 1HN.For information on other titles in the serieswrite to: The Marketing Officer,The Chemical Society, Burlington House,London WIV OBN.THE CHEMICALSOCIETYS PECl ALlST ABSTRACTJOURNALSpublished bySCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCYAtomic Absorption and FlameEmission Spectroscopy AbstractsVol.5,1973, bimonthly €30X-Ray Fluorescence SpectrometryAbstractsVol. 4,1973, quarterly €28Thin-Layer Chromatography AbstractsVol. 3, 1973, bimonthly €28Gas Chromatography-MassSpectrometry AbstractsVol. 4, 1973, quarterly €37Nuclear Magnetic ResonanceSpectrometry AbstractsVol. 3, 1973, bimonthly €30Laser-Raman Spectroscopy AbstractsVol. 2, 1973, quarterly €30X-Ray Diffraction AbstractsVol. 1-2,1973, quarterly €30Neutron Activation Analysis AbstractsVol. 2-3, 1973, quarterly €30Electron Microscopy AbstractsVol. 1,1973, quarterly €30Liquid Chromatography AbstractsVol.1, 1973, quarterly €30Electron Spin Resonance SpectroscopyAbstractsVol. 1, 1973, quarterly €30Sample copies on request from:SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY,3 HARRINGTON ROAD,SOUTH KENSINGTON,LONDON, SW7 3ES01-584 808iV THE ANALYST [December, 1973THE ANALYSTEDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDChairman: H. J. Cluley (Wembley)*L. S. Bark (Salford)R. Belcher (Birmingham)L. J. Bellamy, C.B.E. (Waltham Abbey)L. S. Birks (U.S.A.)E. Bishop (Exeter)E. A. M. F. Dahmen (The Netherlands)*J. B. Dawson (Leeds)A. C. Docherty (BillinghamjD. Dyrssen (Sweden)*W. T. Elwell (Birmingham)*D. C. Garratt (London)*R. Goulden (Sittingbourne)J. Hoste (Belgium)D. N. Hume (U.S.A.)H. M. N. H. Irving (feeds)M.T. Kelley (U.S.A.)*J. A. Hunter (Edinburgh)W. Kemula (Poland)*G. F. Kirkbright (London)G. W. C. Milner (Warwell)G. H. Morrison (U.S.A.)*J. M. Ottaway (Glasgow)*G. E. Penketh (Billingham)S. A. Price (Tadworth)D. 1. Rees (London)E. B. Sandell (U.S.A.)*R. Sawyer (London)A. A. Smales, O.B.E. (Warwell)H. E. Stagg (Manchester)E. Stahl (Germany)A. Walsh (Australia)T. S. West (London)P. Zuman (U.S.A.)*A. Townshend (Birmingham)* Members of the Board serving on the Executive Committee.NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERSSubscriptions for The Anolyst, Analytical Abstructs and Proceedings should beThe Chemical Society, Publications Sales Office,Blackhorse Road, Letchworth, Herts.Rates for 1973(other than Members of the Society)sent to:(a) The Analyst, Analytical Abstracts, and Proceedings, with indexes .. . . €37.00(b) The Analyst, Analytical Abstracts printed on one side of the paper (withoutindex), and Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . €38.00(c) The Analyst, Analytical Abstracts printed on one side of the paper (withindex), and Proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . €45.00The Analyst and Analytical Abstracts without Proceedings-(d) The Analyst and Anolytical Abstracts, with indexes . . . . . . . . €34.00(e) The Analyst, and Analytical Abstracts printed on one side of the paper (withoutindex) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . f35.00(f) The Analyst, and Analytical Abstracts printed on one side of the paper (withindex) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . €42.00(Subscriptions are NOT accepted for The Analyst and/or for Proceedings aloneDecember, 19731 THE ANALYST VWhy not use“COLLOID TITRATIQN”for simple and rapid determination ofCOLLOID PARTICLES in the field ofAgar and Alginic Acid IndustryLeather IndustryFood IndustryPaper and Pulp IndustrySu rfactant IndustryWater Treatmentfor detailed brochure and reagentswrite soon to-DOJINDO CO., LTD.Research LaboratoriesP.O.Box 41, KumamotohigashiKumamoto (862)JAPANTelex-7627-76 DO J I N LINDIDTABSTablets of pre-mixed chemicals. A simpleand economical way of adding indicators toyour titration flask.One hundred tablets each of twelve differentindicators are contained in each of two kitsfor titration of Aluminium, Bismuth,Cadmium, Calcium, Cobalt, Copper, Magne-sium, Nickel, Zinc, etc.etc.Details on request from:-RIDSDALE & CO. LTD.suppliers of “Analoid” compressed chemicalreagentsNewham Hall, Newby,Middlesbrough, Teesside, TS8 9EATel. Middlesbrough 0642 37216~ ~~~~~~~~~SELECTED ANNUAL REVIEWSof theANALYTICAL SCIENCESVolume 2 - 1972CONTENTSThe Techniques and Theory of Thermal Analysis Applied to Studies on InorganicMaterials with Particular Reference to Dehydration and Single Oxide Systems -D. DollimoreDevelopments in Ion Exchange - F. VernonThermometric and Enthalpimetric Titrimetry - L. S. Bark, P. Bate and J. K. GrimeObtainable from-Pp. vi + 149 €5.00; U.S. $13.00 ISBN 0 85990 202 1The Society for Analytical Chemistry, Book Department,9/10 Savile Row, London WIX I A FMembers of The Chemical Society may buy personal copies at the special price of f3.00; U.S.$8.0vi SUMMARIES OF PAPERS I N THIS- ISSUE [December, 1973Summaries of Papers in this IssueApplication of the Carbon Cup Atomisation Technique in WaterAnalysis by Atomic-absorption SpectroscopyA modified, laboratory-made carbon cup (small-scale Massmann) atomiseris described, with particular reference to the atomic-absorption determinationof copper, lead and cadmium in water samples.Several parameters such as sample volume, time and temperature ofthe atomisation steps, and sample composition, have been investigated. Itwas found that injection of a 10-p1 sample in one portion is the most con-venient technique with respect to sensitivity and speed of operation.Additionof EDTA causes an enhancement of sensitivity, which is considerable whendetermining lead. The adsorption of these elements on the polyethylenecontainers has also been examined in order to evaluate possible errors thatmay arise after sample storage.The detection limits are 0.45 ng ml-l of lead, 1.7 ng ml-l of copperand 0.04 ng ml-l of cadmium, and the average precision is 5 3 per cent. ina single measurement. The method permits the direct and rapid determinationof these elements in various water samples, which determinations are frequentlyrequired in pollution control.F. DOLINSEK and J. STUPARThe “ Jo2ef Stefan” Institute, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.Analyst, 1973, 98, 841-850.Absorptiometric Determination of Trace Amounts of SulphideIon in WaterA sensitive and rapid method is described for the determination ofminimal concentrations of soluble sulphide in water.It is based on thereduction of iron(II1) to iron(I1) by sulphide at pH 3 in the presence of1,lO-phenanthroline reagent, forming the orange - red complex [(C12H,N2)3Fe]2+.The method is subject to some interferences, which fortunately are not usuallypresent in water supplies. Interferences of many acidic and basic radicalscan be successfully overcome by recovery of hydrogen sulphide by steamdistillation from the samples acidified with sulphuric acid. Down to 0.5 pgor a concentration of 33 pg 1-1 of sulphide, if 15 ml of sample are available,can be detected by the method.S.A. RAHIM, A. Y. SALIM and Mrs. S. SHEREEFDepartment of Chemistry, College of Science, Mosul University, Iraq.Analyst, 1973, 98, 851-856.A Spectrofluorimetric Procedure for the Assay of CarrageenanA spectrofluorimetric procedure for the determination of carrageenanin the presence of salts, many polysaccharides, and proteins has been de-veloped. It involves the binding of acridine orange to the polyanion andobservation of the decrease in green fluorescence from free monomer dyein solution.The method offers many advantages over the available chemical assays,and is a simple, accurate and rapid technique for determining carrageenanin a conventional hydrocolloid stabiliser mixture. Its successful application,after minor modifications, in the presence of protein and salts indicates itsdirect applicability to commercial milk products.R.B. CUNDALL,Department of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, “ 2 7 2RD.G. 0. PHILLIPS and D. P. ROWLANDSDepartment of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, University of Salford, Salford,M5 4WT.Analyst, 1973, 98, 857-862December, 19731 SUMMARIES OF PAPERS I N THIS ISSUEGas - Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Alpha-, Beta-,Gamma- and Delta-BHC Levels in Human Blood, Depot Fat andVarious Organs with the Use of 2,2-Dimethylpropane- 1,3-diolSuccinate as the Stationary Liquid PhaseThe presence of various BHC isomers in the human organism has receivedrelatively little attention, and studies were often restricted to only one BHCisomer.A previously described one-step extraction and clean-up procedurebefore gas - liquid chromatographic determination of organochlorine pesticideresidues in human blood has now been applied to various organs and depotfat. The identification of the BHC isomers was performed by gas - liquidchromatography with several stationary liquid phases. 2,2-Dimethylpropane-1,3-diol succinate was found to be the most satisfactory stationary liquidphase for the present purpose, as it gave distinctly separated peaks andcharacteristic relative retention times.viiG. CZEGLEDI- JANKOInstitute for Chemistry and Food Analysis, H-1022 Hermann Ott6 u. 15, Budapest,Hungary.Analyst, 1973, 98, 863-872.Simultaneous Determination of Actinide Nuclides in EnvironmentalMaterials by Solvent Extraction and Alpha SpectrometryActinide analysis based on the selection of groups, instead of separationof individual elements, has been applied to monitoring and control of theincreasing variety and amounts of actinide nuclides in environmental materialscontaminated by controlled discharges of liquid wastes.Multi-element acti-nide analysis is achieved by extracting the whole group, or part of it, in thetri-n-octylphosphine oxide - n-heptane - nitric acid - sodium nitrate system,stripping into ammonium carbonate solution and electrodeposition, followedby solid-state alpha spectrometry, with unusual actinide nuclides as yieldtracers. This system gives efficient separation from virtually all commonelements.Common operations for the several functions of sample dissolution, tracerexchange, solvent extraction and electrodeposition have been developed,which are suitable for the group from actinium to curium.Detailed procedures,with variations, for simultaneous measurement of these actinides are stated,in order to allow application to biological materials and radioactive effiuentsin two combinations, the first in valency states 111, IV and VI, and thesecond in valency states IV and VI with valency state I11 eliminated. Theyhave been fully evaluated for plutonium-239 plus -240 with plutonium-236as tracer, and americium-241 with americium-243 as tracer, and the scopeis indicated for other members of the group. Up to 2 kg of edible seaweedor 10 kg of fish flesh can be handled, with detection limits (in terms of activityto double background) of 2 x and 4 x lO-'pCig-l, respectively, fora 1-week counting time. Sensitivities for precision with 4 per cent. standarddeviation are 4 x lo-* and 8 x 10-5 pCi g-l, respectively, which correspondsto levels associated with fallout.B. L. HAMPSON and D. TENNANTMinistry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Fisheries Radiobiological Laboratory,Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft, Suffolk.Analyst, 1973, 98, 873-885