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Manual On Recommended Practices in Spectrophotometry. A

ASTM Committee E-13 on Absorption Spectroscopy, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pa., 1966, vii +120 pp. Price: members $2.45, nonmembers $3.50

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31 views

Manual On Recommended Practices in Spectrophotometry. A

ASTM Committee E-13 on Absorption Spectroscopy, American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pa., 1966, vii +120 pp. Price: members $2.45, nonmembers $3.50

Uploaded by

SEL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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JOURNAL OF THE A.O.A.C. (Vol. 49, N o .

4, 1966)

Manual on Recommended Practices in Sand and Water Culture Methods Used


Spectrophotometry. ASTM Committee in the Study of Plant Nutrition. By
E-13 on Absorption Spectroscopy, Ameri- E. J. Hewitt. Technical Communication
can Society for Testing and Materials, No. 22 (Revised), Commonwealth Bureau
Philadelphia, Pa., 1966, vii +120 pp. of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Com-
Price: members $2.45, nonmembers $3.50. monwealth Agricultural Bureaux, Farn-
ham House, Farnham Royal, Bucks, Eng-
According to the Foreword this compila- land, 1966, xiii -f 547 pp.; illus.; index.
tion " . . . contains all practices proposed Price $15.00.

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or recommended to date by the commit-
tee . . . " Topics of general interest to The second edition of this book is a
spectroscopists include Nomenclature, Ade- scholarly review and assessment of the
quacy of Available Equipment, General numerous sand and water culture methods
Qualitative Analysis, Infrared Methods, and used in the study of plant nutrition. The
Ultraviolet Methods. As pointed out in the book is divided into two parts: Part One,
Foreword, the emphasis is on practical General Review, is restricted to research
spectrophotometry. methods. Commercial hydroponic methods
It would be unrealistic to expect com- and problems are considered only if they
plete agreement among spectroscopists on have a special significance. Other points ex-
all the points covered by this book. The cluded are soil pot cultures, nutrition of
published practices represent the efforts of microorganisms, and results of experiments
many outstanding authorities working mentioned.
through Committee E-13 on the practical Part Two presents the procedures used
aspects of spectrophotometry. The combined at Long Ashton, England; these procedures
knowledge and experience condensed into are based on the original technique de-
this small volume make it a unique contri- scribed by Professor T. Wallace in 1933 and
bution to the literature on practical spectro- developed by Dr. Hewitt during the ensuing
photometry. However, while the book is an 23 years.
excellent overall presentation of a difficult Dr. Hewitt introduces the subject with
subject, its concise style leads to over-simpli- a stimulating historical review that gives
fication of some points. insight into the problems and scope of cul-
This book should be available for refer- tural methods, and the events associated
ence in every spectroscopic laboratory. Each with the discoveries of the essential nature
spectroscopist should review the practices of micronutrient elements by early re-
in his laboratory and re-evaluate carefully searchers.
any practices not in accord with the recom- The subjects discussed in Part One in-
mendations. clude plant containers; solid rooting media;
The Foreword suggests that "The com- water; nutrient impurities and purification
pilation can be an adjunct to instruction in methods; assessment of contamination and
the elements of practical spectroscopy." The the limitations in micronutrient deficiency
reviewer agrees with this statement if the studies; composition of the nutrient solu-
work adjunct is emphasized. The briefness tion; methods used for the renewal and
and conciseness of the presentation may pose application of culture solutions; aeration of
problems for a beginner in the field, e.g., cultural solutions and study of root atmos-
although note 2, p. 21; note 3, p. 41; and phere; study of factors affecting the absorp-
note 2, p. 51 are valid and pertinent, they tion of nutrients from culture media; tree
may confuse rather than help an inexperi- culture and large-scale techniques; seed
enced spectrographer unless additional ex- sterilization, sterile cultures and associated
planation is provided from another source. growth conditions; production of culture
JOHN H. JONES plants; comparative aspects of sand and
Division of Color and Cosmetic Chemistry water cultures; environmental and biologi-
Food and Drug Administration cal factors in culture experiments; and
BOOK REVIEWS

arrangement, measurement, and interpreta- of names encountered in the field of pesti-


tion of experiments. Generally, each chapter cides. The latest edition contains 4,600 en-
begins with a statement of the main points tries: 1,400 are main entries, and the re-
to be discussed. mainder are cross references. The pesticide
The methods described in Part Two have names are arranged alphabetically, with the
had to fulfill several requirements: "All coined or trivial name given preferred usage.
stages in the preparation of materials and In the absence of an official coined name,
subsequent treatment of cultures must be the chemical name is used in accordance with
applicable to large numbers of cultures and the Chemical Abstracts system of nomencla-

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large quantities of materials. Methods used ture. Trade names are clearly indicated.
for the preparation and application of Chemicals are listed by numbers or a com-
nutrients and for the care of the cultures bination of numbers and letters.
must be relatively simple, reliable and, The Index is easy to read: it is one of
where necessary, easily serviced or adapted. the few publications with a consolidated
The technique must be applicable to the alphabetical listing, and it also has structural
study of micronutrient deficiencies and re- formulae, physical properties, and usage.
quirements in any species of higher plant, An Appendix lists companies owning reg-
using automatic irrigation arrangements istered trademarks. The Pesticide Index in-
where required." cludes selected references on pesticide chemi-
The choice and preparation of the ma- cals.
terials suitable for use depend upon the LAURA A. KOVACH
work undertaken. These subjects are dis- Technical Editor's Office
cussed under such headings as containers; Food and Drug Administration
sand; water; nutrient reagents; testing
sand, water, nutrients and other materials
for impurities; automatic irrigation and
constant-level arrangements; and general Thin Layer Chromatography. A Practi-
technique. cal Laboratory Handbook. By A. A.
The book is excellently illustrated with Akhrem and A. I. Kuznestsova. Daniel
black and white photographs and line draw- Davey & Co., Inc., New York, 1965.
ings which show the equipment and the Translated from Russian by Israel Pro-
response of plants to the nutrient solutions. gram for Scientific Translations, x + 109
The book is recommended to all who are pp. Price $8.75.
concerned with plant nutrition, as it pro-
vides an insight into the painstaking work This book will adequately fulfill the pur-
that has gone on since about 1450. This pose for which it was written, i.e., "to assist
work and the knowledge gained thereby en- the research worker in familiarizing himself
able us today to increase soil productivity with the potentialities of thin layer chroma-
through application of fertilizers. tography," since in the authors' words "there
R. STANLEY DYAL are as yet no Russian monographs or text
Soil and Water Conservation Research books on the subject."
Division However, when translated into English
U.S. Department of Agriculture the book becomes less than adequate. Sev-
eral good books are already available that
cover the subject more thoroughly than this
Pesticide Index. 3rd Ed., Donald E. H. book does.
Frear, (Ed.). College Science Publishers, The interest in the book is more histori-
State College, Pa,, 1965, 295 pp. Price cal than scientific: it shows the status of
$6.00. thin layer chromatography in the U.S.S.R.
JOSEPHINE M. FINOCCHIARO
This dictionary-index is an excellent and Division of Food Chemistry
up-to-date reference book for the multitude Food and Drug Administration

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