Dr ChemFET on sensors

Principles of chemical sensors (2nd edition)

Jir? Janata 

New York, US: Springer 2009 | 373 pp | ?90.00 (HB)

ISBN 9780387699301

Reviewed by Karel Stul?k 

Twenty years after the first edition, the author, who is well known under the nickname of Art or Dr ChemFET to the wide circle of his colleagues and friends, has published a new version of his overview of the large and highly important field of chemical sensors.

The book is primarily intended for use in graduate courses in analytical chemistry. However, it will definitely also be useful to many people who come into contact with monitoring of any imaginable substance in chemistry, biology, medicine, environmental sciences, or technological disciplines.

In my opinion, the most praiseworthy feature of the book is its general approach to the whole field of sensing. The treatment does not go into detail, the references to the literature are not numerous but include significant general sources, and the emphasis is placed on critical discussion of the relationships among various principles and measuring techniques.This is especially important at the present time, when we are becoming increasingly immersed in our narrow niches and tend to forget to look around and to talk to one another. Furthermore, each of the ten chapters of the book contains a Food for thought  section formulating carefully selected problems for consideration and a search for possible solutions. 

Good student-teacher relationships are reflected in the fact that Art’s students helped him to prepare the manuscript of the book and one of them produced the final version of the illustrations. Altogether, I can fully recommend this book.