40N JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY JUNE 1994 VOL. 9 Book Reviews Applications of Plasma Source Mass Spectrometry I1 Edited by Grenville Holland and Andrew N. Eaton. Pp. x+245. Royal Society of Chemistry. 1993. Price E45. ISBN 0 85186 465 1. Applications of Plasma Source Mass Spectrometry comprises the Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Plasma Source Mass Spectrometry held at Durham UK in September 1992. Papers relating to Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and Glow Discharge (GD) sources are presented in this book including both fundamental research and applications development. Having said that reports of ICP-mass spectrometry (MS) applications studies predominate. Fundamental studies are represented by papers on ion kinetic energy measure- ments in ICP-MS and GD source characterization research.The only other paper on GDMS describes depth profi- ling for a selection of low mass elements in scale formed on steel. The applications papers in this book demonstrate the diversity of fields in which ICP-MS is now employed. Industrial applications include trace element determination in electronic chemicals and analysis of metals includ- ing steels and copper. Within the nuclear industry applications of ICP-MS for isotopic analysis and impurity determi- nations are presented. Environmental applications are well represented cover- ing analysis of natural waters and geo- logical samples through to measurement of platinum in car exhaust fumes. Two papers describe certification of new stan- dard reference materials (SRM’s) one relating to plant materials and the other to toxic metals on membrane filters used for industrial workplace air monitoring.Biological and archaeological appli- cations of ICP-MS are both represented by papers describing lead isotopic ratio measurements the first relating to lead uptake through the skin using an isotopic tracer technique and the second to analysis of metallurgical samples for provenance studies. In addition to new applications of ‘standard’ ICP-MS technology the papers in this book describe new sample preparation and introduction techniques. The advantages of ultrasonic nebuliz- ation and laser ablation for the analysis of waters and radioactive solids respect- ively are described. On-line chromato- graphic separation of analytes for fission product determinations is also reported.The use of flow injection sample presen- tation to reduce matrix effects in samples with high total dissolved solids and to allow on-line sample manipulations is described in several papers. Two new sample preparation methods for the determination of the platinum group elements in rocks testify to the continued challenge posed by this analysis. The presentation of papers in the varying styles offered by different authors emphasises the discontinuity in the book but perhaps that is the aim. The indexing although not comprehensive is certainly better than that encountered in many conference proceedings. This book provides a snapshot of the status of plasma source MS in 1992. It is likely to be of most value to libraries to laboratories where up-to-date infor- mation on a wide range of plasma source MS applications is collected and to workers interested in the specific subject matter of one or more included paper(s).Ros Cox AEA Technology Didcot Oxfordshire UK OX11 ORA Laser Ionization Mass Analysis Edited by A. Vertes R. Gijbels and F. Adams. Pp. xxi + 560. John Wiley Sons Ltd. 1993. Price E79. ISBN 0 471 53673 3. This volume describes the development and diverse applications of laser ioniz- ation mass spectrometry (LIMS). The book opens with a brief overview of the subject and an outline of the way the material is structured. Chapter 2 reviews the history of laser ionization from the 1960s to the present day and discusses the instrumentation used for both atomic and molecular ion generation describing instruments based on sector quadrupole time-of-flight and ion-trap mass spec- trometers.The use of lasers for ion fragmentation outside the ion source is also addressed. Following this generalJOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY JUNE 1994 VOL. 9 41N introduction the theory and applications of each of the methods are discussed. This large subject area has been subdivided into low medium and high laser-irradiance regimes each of which has its own set of analytical applications. The low and medium irradiance regimes lead to the generation of polyatomic ions which provide structural as well as molecular weight information for appli- cations such as polymer characterization and the study of a range of biochemicals. Laser desorption matrix-assisted laser desorption and multi-photon ionization techniques and their applications are discussed in some detail.The methods enable the characterization of non- volatile and fragile biomolecules of high molecular weight. A systematic descrip- tion of the fragmentation of ions derived from various classes of biomolecules is presented. The high irradiance regime generates atomic ions and can allow the determi- nation of elemental compositions. The application of laser ionization to atomic mass spectrometry is the subject of the last two chapters. This section is likely to be of most interest to readers of JAAS but unfortunately comprises only a minor fraction of the text. The first of these chapters begins with a section by Phipps and Dreyfus who provide a clear outline of the physics of laser-plasma formation at solid surfaces.Their theor- etical discussions are supported by a selection of corroborative experimental findings providing a most profitable read. Their discussion includes outlines of diagnostic techniques applicable to these small transient plasmas. The next part of the same chapter seems a little out of place as it describes laser sampling for subsequent ionization in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) rather than direct laser ionization. The important theme of separating vaporiz- ation atomization and ionization pro- cesses is mentioned however it would be valuable to have a more detailed inter-comparison of direct laser ioniz- ation under vacuum conditions and laser ablation sampling at atmospheric press- ure.This section is brief but does provide a useful summary of applications with a table showing limits of detection and reproducibility reported for a variety of measurements and will be of interest to practitioners of ICP-MS. The chapter concludes with a section by Dietze and Becker who discuss atomic LIMS resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) and again very briefly laser ablation sampling for ICP-MS. The discussion of LIMS includes useful tables of applications of the method to a variety of different matrix types. The capabilities and limi- tations of the commercially available LAMMA@ LIMA@ and LASERMAT@ instruments are assessed. The authors discuss how sample dissolution and homogenization the incorporation of internal standards and even isotope dilution can be used to improve the accuracy and precision of LIMS.However I would question the value of LIMS if spatial resolution is lost and if significant sample preparation is required. The authors’ discussion of mass spectral interferences due to cluster for- mation and the variation in accuracy precision and relative sensitivity coefficients as a function of laser power is particularly valuable. Resonance ioniz- ation mass spectrometry is in my view one of the more exciting methods of atomic mass spectrometry due to its potential for high sensitivity and selec- tivity. However the coverage of the subject is disappointing providing only a brief introduction to this powerful technique. Perhaps this reflects the fact that this expensive and complex method is not in widespread use.The concluding chapter by Managadze and Shutyaev describes the development of a laser ionization time- of-flight mass spectrometer designed to sample the surface of Phobos from a space vehicle flying past this satellite of Mars at a distance of up to 80 m. Despite the loss of the spacecraft prior to the experiment an interesting account is provided of the development of this rather esoteric mass spectrometer. In summary I feel that the book has attempted to cover a very large subject and that the coverage is uneven with a small amount of repetition. Most atten- tion has been paid to the low and medium irradiance regimes and their molecular applications with correspond- ingly less emphasis on atomic methods. This is an inevitable outcome of a multi- authored approach to what is a very large subject area. The book provides a useful introduction to the variety of analytical methods based on laser ioniz- ation and their many applications and is likely to be of value to the advanced undergraduate or postgraduate entering the field. Adam McMahon Department of Chemistry Munchester Metropolitan University Munchester UK M1 5GD