More than two decades after the third edition, the fourth edition of the so-called IUPAC Orange Book has been released this month by RSC.
How do you describe an analytical method, measure the purity of the new chemical that you have just synthesized, or report the proper units of measurement? For analytical chemists, the principal tool of the trade, or source of terms, is this book – the so-called Orange Book. First published in 1978, this latest edition edited by D Brynn Hibbert takes into account the explosion of new analytical procedures and, at the same time, the diversity of techniques and the quality and performance characteristics of the procedures that are the focus of interest.
The scope of analytical chemistry has widened, new types of instrumental techniques have emerged and automation has taken over. Answers can now be shared, not only on the chemical composition and structure of the sample, but also changes in composition and structure in space and time. New chapters on chemometrics, bio-analytical methods of analysis, and sample treatment and preparation have been added. The terminology of metrology and quality assurance is now up to date with the latest ISO and JCGM standards. This new volume will be an indispensable reference resource for the coming decade, revising and updating accepted terminology, and providing the official language of analytical chemistry.
David Spichiger, SCS
23.02.2023