Advances in Mass Spectrometry Vol. 11A and B Proceedings of the 11th International Mass Spectrometry Conference held at Bordeaux, 29 August-2 September 1988

P. LONGEVIALLE (ED.) Heyden & Son, London, 1989. ic+1900. f235.00 ($390.00) ISBN 0 86344 0029 (2 vol.set)

Conferences, if they are small and involve intense discussion among participants, should leave no foot- print. In other words, free exchange of information and vigorous exam- ination of issues is promoted by the absence of a permanent record. On the other hand, larger meetings necessarily leave footprints, the quality of which varies immensely.

Mass spectrometry is fortunate in the highly legible footprint that the triennial International Conference leaves regularly in the form of the Advances in Mass Spectrometry ser- ies. We are particularly fortunate this year in the rapid publication and high quality of the two volumes edited by Pierre Longevialle. The publisher is to be commended on producing a text of high quality and modest cost. The excellent repro- duction of Figures is especially noteworthy.

The International Mass Spectrometry Conference has long been noted for the excellent balance between current exciting work and more measured perspec- tives on particular aspects of the subject. The triennial format pro- motes this mix and the text reflects both aspects. With six plenary and twenty four keynote lectures, the two volumes contain hundreds of pages of review material. Contributed papers take the form of two-page abstracts and often include key references and particu- larly significant data in the form of Figures or Tables. I find this format to serve admirably as an introduc- tion to a topic, given the fact that related papers are grouped

together, o r as a quick method of checking on work one might other- wise miss.

It is a particular interest that this text contains material covering the full range of mass spectrometry: fundamental chemistry and physics, instrumentation, and applications to earth, life and environmental sciences. Organic mass spectro- metry is cheek-by-jowl with isotope mass spectrometry, applications to studies of high temperature environments are juxtaposed with those in surface science.

I would recommend taking one of these convenient volumes on your next out-of-town trip (or, to be even more productive, instead of the trip!) Whether browsing in this way, or searching for particular material, the books are a delight. They should serve as first-rate refer- ence material for the next three years and beyond.

R. G. COOKS Department of Chemistry Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA

June 1989

best work being done in mass spec- trometry and allied topics. The competition is being run in conjunc- tion with the 1990 Analytical Summer Symposium which is on mass spectrometry and will be held 25-27 July at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. Graduate stu- dents who will graduate in 1990 or later are eligible.

The Analytical Division of ACS in cooperation with the American Please submit a one-page summary Society for Mass Spectrometry, of the work, a one-page biographi- announces a national graduate stu- cal sketch and two letters of recom- dent competition to recognize the mendation to R . G . Cooks,

Chemistry Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA by 31 December 1989 to enter.

The six winners will present their work at a special session of the Summer Symposium and the six runners-up will do the same in a special poster session. Assistance with travel expenses will be provided. A special panel will judge the oral and poster presentations and a cash prize will be made to the winners in each category.

0 Heyden & Son Limited. 1989 RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, VOL. 3, NO. 7. 1989 i