Book excerpt: The study of the environment requires the reliable and accurate measurement of extremely small quantities of chemicals and the ability to determine if they are pollutants or naturally occurring species. Historically, a "dilute and disperse" method of waste disposal has been accepted; yet as we learn the long-term consequences of such an approach, it is clear that more rigorous waste management techniques are necessary to understand the sources and fates of contaminants and to regulate their discharge. This volume presents the details of the basic analytical science involved in making these measurements. It concentrates on the basic principles of sampling and sample preparation, followed by the chemical principles of the major instrumental methods used in chemical analysis, and detailed discussions of the major environmental matrices. This book also provides coverage of topics usually only partially discussed in textbooks, such as quality assurance plans and statistical data handling. Students majoring in environmental sciences need a foundation in measurement techniques used in the field. Environmental Chemical Analysis gives students a thorough grounding in this field and enough information to judge the quality and interpret the information produced in the analytical laboratory.