Review: The concept might be relatively simple but the final product is anything but. The overall idea was to produce a text which gave the barest essential chemistry needed to start to understand a range of environmental situations. Within this slim A4-sized text there are over 50 double-page spreads divided into 9 unequal sections which do just that.

If, as the authors reasonably assert, environmental chemistry is on the rise in universities then it is important that there is some basic information to give the students especially if the school science situation is looking as dire as it is in some countries e.g. UK. It is from this background that the authors start. The first section looks at the surface of the planet. It starts with a basic overview of rocks and minerals. The Earth's elemental composition is given followed by a very brief description of rock types and minerals. This is followed by weathering processes and a very short account of the major types of weathering. Subsequent topics follow the same idea with just the bare bones outlined and the focus being on chemistry as one might expect. Section two looks at soil and soil processes - development, horizons, typology etc. It might be that this area is quite restricted compared with the first but the amount of detail seems more appropriate. Here is both the advantage and disadvantage of such a system. For a narrow focus this is a great resource. When one look at a broader canvas e.g. geology, then it is obvious that the amount of information that can be given is far less in relation to the whole. After soils, the focus turns to sediments with just two topics on processes and environment. This is followed by other equally brief sections dealing with hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere respectively. The usual key ideas are represented. Next there's a section on physical, chemical and biological interactions. At first this might seem an unusual title but it deals with three key topics - environmental temperatures, water movement and gas exchange. Before looking at a final section on pollution, there's a very good overview there's and excellent section on the biogeochemical cycles (C, N, S, P and K) which allows the reader to compare easily the key features of each. As noted, the final section, one of the largest, deals with pollution from agriculture, land and atmosphere. Whereas this might be seen as an unusual selection it does deal with major sources of current interest.

Overall, this is an excellent text. As can be seen above there are a few gaps one might light to see covered, some less usual additions and varying levels of coverage. Against this must be set the near impossibility of the task, the obvious disparities in information to start with and the difficulty in defining let alone reaching a common standard against which to adhere. However, these are small issues compared with the excellence of what has been achieved. All the main topics one would want are there. The chemistry is easy enough for the lay person to grasp. It puts a far more rigorous approach to the ecological and environmental education and emphasises the need to put science at the forefront. It should be a key book on every library shelf.