Book excerpt: Interest in the title compounds has fallen into three phases: initial study of their solution chemistry, study of their role in the electrode reactions of alkaline batteries during and since World War II, and present concern over the mechanisms by which these elements can enter the environment through dissolution processes, sometimes with toxic results. This volume provides a complete compilation of solubility data published up to 1984, including all pertinent articles, together with critical evaluations of the data. Almost all the measurements relate to aqueous systems.