ANALYST, OCTOBER 1986, VOL. 111 1223 BOOK REVIEWS Mass Spectrometry in the Health and Life Sciences. Proceedings of an International Symposium, San Fran- cisco, California, U.S.A., September 9-13, 1984 Edited by A. L. Burlingame and Neal Castagnoli, Jr. Analytical Chemistry S-ym-posium Series, Volume 24. Pp. xxiv + 638. Elsevier. 1985. Price $133.25, Dfl 360. ISBN 0 444 42562 4 (Series). This book contains 32 papers and the titles of 48 posters presented at an International Symposium held to mark the inauguration of the new University of California Mass Spectrometry Facility. Each of the papers is followed by a discussion and both subject and author indices are included. Most of the contributors to this book are authorities in their particular fields and their papers are up-to-date accounts of the state of biomedical mass spectrometry in 1984.Much emphasis is given to tandem mass spectrometry and to the new ionisation techniques such as fast atom bombardment (FAB) and californium-252 plasma desorption, which have recently enabled mass spectrometry to be applied to large involatile molecules of biomedical interest. Peptide sequencing is a popular application of these new methods and is represented by papers on structure elucidation of tryptic peptides from bovine serum albumin (V. Ling and A. L. Burlingame) and the use of MS - MS techniques for sequencing large (8000 daltons) peptides (W. J. Richter et al.). Protein sequencing techniques are covered by both K. Biemann et al. and P. Poepstorff. A literature survey presented in the latter paper shows that the new methods have now been successfully applied to proteins with molecular weights in excess of 23 000 daltons.Other major classes of compound amenable to mass spectrometric analysis and discussed in this book are oligosac- charides (H. R. Morris et al., M. Suzuki and K.-I. Harada and H. Egge and J. Peter-Katalinic), fossil porphorins (G. Eglinton), organometallic compounds (R. T. Aplin), nucleo- tides (J. A. McCloskey), glycolipids (M. Iwamori et al.), steroids (P. V. Fennessey et al.) and steroid conjugates (C. H. L. Shackleton). Drug studies are represented by the use of condensed-phase ionisation techniques for the analysis of glucuronides (C. Fenselau) and the use of stable isotopes to study phenytoin bioavailability (Y. Kasuya et al.) and the mechanism of toxicity of both acetaminophen and valproic acid (T.A. Baillie). A carnitine conjugate of valproic acid, identified by FAB mass spectrometry (D. J. Liberato et al.) represents a new class of drug conjugate discovered by use of the new techniques. Among papers concentrating on these techniques are those on FAB ionisation (K. Rinehart, Jr.), thermospray LC - MS (M. L. Vestal), Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (A. G. Marshall), tandem mass spec- trometry (M. L. Gross et al.) and magnet design (L. C. E. Taylor). The emphasis of this book is very much on the use of mass spectrometry for structure determination. Its main failing is the shortage of information on quantitative aspects and, in particular, on the use of the new mass spectrometric tech- niques for trace analysis.MS - MS techniques and negative electron-capture mass spectrometry are making major contri- butions to these fields and should have been given more prominence. Apart from this, there is little to criticise. Although the presentation is “camera-ready,” the format is clear and relatively free from errors. The high standard of the work presented and the inclusion of so much state-of-the-art material makes this book a good introduction to modern mass spectrometry and its role in the structural analysis of com- pounds of biomedical interest. D. J . Harvey Practical Absorption Spectrometry: UV Spectrometry Group Edited by A. Knowles and C. Burgess. Techniques in Visible and Ultraviolet Spectrometry, Volume 3. Pp. xxii + 234.Chapman and Hall. Price f18. ISBN 0 412 24390 3. The Editors of this volume have assembled a knowledgeable and well known team of authors who have presented a basic and introductory text. Each of the thirteen chapters is self-contained and includes a few carefully chosen references. The book opens with a useful glossary, but unfortunately no indication of correct and incorrect nomenclature is given and it is not always consistent. Knowles has contributed a well written, simple and unam- bitious introduction to the theory and nature of spectra, while Tyson does the same for instrumentation. Tyson also takes a classical approach to the discussion of light sources and optical components, avoiding recent developments such as lasers. The pace of the book increases when Irish deals with monochromators and here he shows his understanding and familiarity with the field.Treherne, in dealing with detectors, gives a very brief introduction to photomultipliers; time will tell whether he has underestimated the impact of Vidicon detectors. The chapter on instrument signal processing by Ford is much more detailed; it is up to date and includes amplifiers, microprocessor-containing circuits and recorders. Tranter contributes a useful elementary introduction to computer interfacing that is clearly written. Russell and Knowles in two chapters deal with cells and measurement of spectra, they share invaluable experience and, while the chapters represent distilled wisdom, they also demonstrate that it is difficult to make these areas sound exciting.Maddams describes numerical methods such as base-line correction, multi-component mixtures and spectral stripping and here more examples might have been used to amplify an interesting account. Special techniques such as derivative and difference spectroscopy, high-precision work and densi- tometry are covered by Fell, Chadburn and Knowles in a chapter by its nature less well defined. The chapter on automated sample handling by Baber is a good introduction to the advantages of automation and the types of system available. The discussion is particularly orientated to the Skeggs-type system with disappointingly little on centrifugal analysers. Brichell’s account of instrument maintenance is most useful and should help quality control and quality assurance in routine laboratories.Useful appendices on solvent characteristics, transmission of window materials and wavelength standards contributed by Knowles and Russell complete the book. As an introductory text for the beginner this book, despite a few errors, is highly recommended. L. Ebdon Quantitative Analysis. Fifth Edition R. A. Day, Jr., and A. L. Underwood. Pp. x + 774. Prentice-Hall. 1986. Price €45.95. ISBN 0 13 746728 1. This very well written and scholarly book was produced for the North American market to cover basic reaction and equilib- rium chemistry for first-year students, introductory instrumental methods of analysis for pre-medical and pre- dental students and to provide the basic laboratory courses.1224 ANALYST, OCTOBER 1986, VOL. 111 As is common with most general analytical texts from the USA, classical chemistry is dealt with in considerable detail, taking up 50% of the space; herein is presented an excellent, clear exposition of the main aspects of the subject.The instrumental analysis sections take up a third of the text and the rest is devoted to practical work. The book does not fit UK courses, which do not, I regret to say, have as much time made available for classical material as is common in the USA or indeed in East Europe. The instrumental section does not give sufficient cover or detail for UK courses which deal seriously with the subject, if included at all. However, third-level teachers of analytical chemistry will find the book of consider- able use as a source of both lecture material and tutorial problems.D. Thorburn Burns ~ _ _ _ _ ~ ~~ ~~~ The Practice of Quantitative Gel Electrophoresis Andreas Chrambach. Pp. xvi + 265. VCH Verlagsgesell- schaft. 1985. Price DM110; $43.60. ISBN 3 527 26039 0. This book, in the series Advanced Methods in the Biological Sciences, covers the practical aspects of gel electrophoresis. The term “quantitative” gel electrophoresis is used by the author to contrast the methods described in the book, which are defined as the most efficient based on theoretical considerations, with the conventional use of gel electro- phoresis. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, agarose electro- phoresis, electrofocusing and isoelectrophoresis are all described with a wealth of practical detail, from optimising buffer systems to buying and building electrophoretic equip- ment.Bravely, sources of equipment and reagents, including some catalogue numbers, are given, which, although useful now, one fears will date the book rapidly. The Appendices give further details that would otherwise disrupt the flow of the book. The text is easy to read, although with a few idiosyncrasies of style, and is clearly written by someone of great practical experience in the field of electrophoresis. References are detailed at the end and are not that numerous. The book is a specialised one but will be of use to the scientist new to electrophoresis and as a source of reference for those with more experience in this area. It is a useful book for those who are involved in the practice of gel electrophoresis. P.M. S . Clark UV-VIS-Spektroskopie und ihre Anwendungen Heinz-Helmut Perkampus. Pp. viii + 208. Springer-Verlag. 1986. Price DM148. ISBN 3 540 15467 1 ; 0 387 15467 1. This little book provides information on a range of topics likely to be of use to an analyst needing a fuller understanding of the nature and applications of ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry. The emphasis is on the theory of the subject rather than on practical hints and the selection of topics includes most of those to be expected. Diode array detectors and the impact of microprocessors and computers are scarcely mentioned and only a handful of the 600 references are to publications later than 1982. After a brief introductory chapter and one on the principles of spectrophotometry there is a chapter on instruments, much of which is a detailed account of stray light errors.Chapter 4 deals with analytical applications and its balance seems odd. There are tables extending over several pages that list chromogenic reagents for inorganic ions and that give the A, and E values together with literature references. These tables relate both to direct spectrophotometry in solution and to extraction and flotation spectrophotometry. In contrast, the section on the photometric determination of organic com- pounds concentrates on the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones of aldehydes and ketones and refers the reader elsewhere for information about other groups of compounds. A fuller treatment of organic compounds in line with that for inor- ganics would have been of great value. There is a useful section on enzymatic analysis and enzyme kinetics and then an uncritical description of multi-wavelength multi-component analysis.The chapter ends with a summary of one particular approach to the correlation of structures of organic com- pounds with values of h,,,, and E,,.,,,,. Chapter 5 is on “special methods,’’ namely two-wavelength spectrophotometry, derivative spectroscopy, reflection spec- troscopy, photoacoustic spectroscopy and luminescence exci- tation spectroscopy. These are generally clear and concise introductions for those who wish to grasp the essentials before moving on to monographs and review articles. The next two chapters cover equilibria and kinetics, respectively. The mathematical depth is uneven. For example, the kinetics of various categories of second-order chemical reactions are set out in some detail, whereas the reader is expected to be able to understand Job’s method of continuous variations without the help of a graph and to cope with the determination of the rank order of a matrix. Little appreci- ation is shown of the difficulties of attempting to solve simultaneous linear equations by inverting ill-conditioned matrices. I cannot understand why the author has devoted so much space to equilibria. Certainly spectrophotometry is an important technique for determining pK, values and the stability constants of complexes, but the spectrophotometric problems are generally the same as for the analysis of other multi-component systems and too much of the chapter relates to equilibrium theory. Chapter 7 is closer in content to the rest of the book, with sections on the stopped flow technique, relaxation spectro- scopy and photoreactions, for example. The final chapter brings together a few pages each on oscillator strengths, Gaussian and Lorentzian band shapes and the vibrational fine structure of certain electronic spectra. A . R. Rogers