As indicated by the title, the intent of this book is to describe and explain the more important practical aspects of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) systems and techniques. The writers' intended audience appears to be either the novice user of GC/MS systems, such as an industrial or environmental laboratory technician, or an undergraduate needing a concise overview of basic techniques and instrumentation.

The authors organize their book into three sections. The first, almost half of the book, provides a description of the basic concepts and instrumentation involved in MS (mainly using quadrupole mass analyzers) and capillary gas chromatography. The second dives into more hands-on aspects of using GC/MS systems, such as methods development, calibration, and troubleshooting. The final section surveys more advanced topics such as higher-end instrumentation and common applications.

In executing their mission, the authors vary in their effectiveness. They do succeed in pulling together into one volume a useful collection of background information needed to explain the day-to-day operations of a GC/MS laboratory. The book excels at providing insightful information required to keep a quadrupole GC/MS system operating and generating quality data. However, in attempting to summarize such a large breadth of information, the book sometimes falls somewhat short in depth and technical accuracy. In the end, because of this, the book ends up being more useful as an introduction to the technique than as a reference work. The remainder of this review will highlight some of the superlatives as well as deficiencies in the book.

For the most part, this book is focused on using and maintaining inexpensive, workhorse quadrupole GC/MS systems. It is replete with the kind of practical information that will aid in the operation of the equipment. Especially noteworthy are the authors' discussions of mass spectrometer tuning using calibration gases and some of the more common GC/MS-based EPA methods. Some of the information in the text and supplemental appendices of the book provides excellent guidance for assessing the performance of GC/MS systems. The instructions on troubleshooting instrument performance from the appearance of the mass spectrum and simple maintenance regimens for keeping systems running well are extremely valuable.

Detracting from the high practical value of the book are its shortcomings as a general reference for GC/MS as a technique. Some of the illustrations are misleading, simplified to the point of uselessness, or downright inaccurate (like the one showing five rods on a quadrupole mass analyzer). Brief sections skim through tangential topics such as LC/MS and LIMS systems, but are so superficial that they detract from rather than add to the book's value. Some of these shortcomings might have been overcome if the book had attempted to lead the reader to more specialized and in-depth resources for further information. Unfortunately, very few such references are included.

In summary, this book is an excellent source of information on using and maintaining workhorse GC/MS systems. It should be a valuable training resource for industrial or environmental GC/MS personnel because of its plethora of practical advice and simple explanation of the instrumentation. Conversely, the book will be less useful as a resource in an academic setting owing to its sometimes oversimplified treatment and lack of references.