Modern analytical geochemistry An introduction to quantitative chemical analysis techniques for Earth, environmental and materials scientists / Современная аналитическая геохимия Введение в методы количественного химического анализа для специалистов

Recent years have seen increasing rigour being applied in many industrialised countries to the regulation of industrial emissions and to the quality of water, air, food and soil. This welcome official concern with the quality of the human habitat will, through the regular monitoring of environmental media that it implies, have important consequences for the training of professional environmental scientists. Monitoring agencies will require more analysts familiar with the special obstacles that compositionally diverse environmental materials can put in the path of reliable analysis. Professionals who interpret such analyses, too, though they may not be trained in the the technicalities of geochemical analysis, will need to recognise the limitations of the analytical methods employed and understand the quality control mechanisms upon which the industry depends, if they are to draw objective
and reliable conclusions from their data. Surprisingly, few books currently available provide a comprehensive introduction to this complex and continually evolving area. One of the purposes of writing this book, therefore, has been to fill this niche and provide, both for the student of quantitative environmental analysis and for the analysis user, a clear introduction to the many techniques currently in use. The book is also aimed at a more traditional academic Earth science market, at undergraduate and postgraduate students, at researchers who need a broad overview, and at teachers and supervisers who want an up-to-date entrylevel text that will introduce the important principles of quantitative geochemical analysis for the newcomer and non-specialist. At a more advanced level this demand has been admirably met by Phil Potts' Handbook oJsilicate rock analysis, but, having taught the subject to undergraduate and masters students for some years, we are convinced of the need for an introductory text more in keeping with the student budget and a little easier to carry around!<...>