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Keywords are highlighted throughout the text, and there are self-assessment questions at intervals
throughout. Chapter 1 is a brief overview of theory and instrumentation. A short treatment of good
laboratory practice and sample preparation is included. No amount of words can do justice to these
issues, so the discussion is limited to the main points, with the onus being on the tutor to impress upon
the student the importance of quality assurance in the practical environment of the laboratory itself!
Flame and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry are dealt with in Chapters 2 and 3,
respectively, revised to take account of recent developments. Plasma emission spectrometry is dealt
with in Chapter 4, with centre stage going to the inductively coupled plasma. Inductively coupled
plasma mass spectrometry is the subject of Chapter 5. Two short Chapters, 6 and 7, then deal with
atomic fluorescence spectrometry and special sample introduction methods. In each of the chapters
there are sections on theory, instrumentation, interferences and applications. Several appendices contain
revision questions, practical and laboratory exercises and a bibliography.

The book can be used as a self-learning text but it is primarily meant to complement a lecture or
distance learning course, and is indeed used in this capacity at Plymouth for undergraduate and
postgraduate lectures, and for short courses. Basic theory is included because this is vital to the
understanding of the subject; however, excessive theoretical discourse has been avoided, and the
emphasis is firmly on the practical aspects of analytical atomic spectrometry.

E. HYWEL EVANS

PLYMOUTH
JULY 1997