If you enjoy tasting new food, experiencing fresh sights and sounds and exotic smells, and making voyages of discovery into the world around you, you will enjoy the 5th edition of:

Ben Selinger's Chemistry in the Marketplace.

The fifth edition of this invaluable reference book is a consumer's guide to a healthy planet. It explores the hidden world of chemistry that surrounds us in our daily life, in the bedroom (perfumes, deodorants and sunscreens); in the kitchen (nutrition and a whole new look at cooking!); and in the restaurant (wine, food additives and poisons). It leads you into a part of your garden where a consumer's safety guide is essential - through the chemistry of soils, weeds and pesticides. It explores your car (petrol, batteries and solar energy), the safety of your home (toxicity and flammability), your shopping basket (plastics, glass and metals) and the environment (the ozone layer and greenhouse effect).

The serious science in this traveller's guide is clearly explained in terms we all can understand. It is illustrated with fascinating anecdotes, interesting snippets of information, and experiments which make the topic even clearer. Written in a relaxed conversational style, it is both informative and entertaining, and is an excellent reference source for real-life applications of chemistry.

Your author and guide is Ben Selinger, Professor of Chemistry at The Australian National University, Canberra and a Fellow of the 200-year old Royal Institution of Great Britain. As well as being an eminent teacher of chemistry, Ben is a long-time consumer activist, and has been a government chemical regulator, an expert witness in court, a sleuth in pursuit of industrial secrets and a setter of Australian standards for consumer products, all in the interests of making chemistry more accessible to (and manageable by) discerning consumers.

This fresh new edition is a must for the bookshelf of any well-informed consumer who seeks to understand the safety and efficiency of everyday products and services.

What the critics say: "CIM 5th turned out well. I like the overall look and the added material and margin comments. The addition of the section on solubility is good. Nice discussion of toxic effects. I like the addition of the chapter on surfaces, foams, and emulsions. Overall, I rate the book with 5 stars! (out of 5 stars!) I couldn't teach this course without the book!

"Over the years I have recommended Professor Selinger's excellent book to many people who have approached us asking for information about our industry, and I was happy to send my contacts in Unilever Research a copy of the 4th edition when it was published. No doubt they will expect me to do the same when the 5th appears."

"Excellent and pioneering . . It forced me to think, informed me greatly, and made me laugh "

New Scientist

"Teachers looking for snippets of consumer information will find this book a treasure house . . . the author's relaxed conversational style makes for effective communication and amusing reading"

Education in Chemistry

"Unique book which makes chemistry come alive."

Dr A J Davies, South Australian College of Advanced Education

" . . as essential as an atlas or a dictionory in any household where there are some who retain the natural curiosity of childhood " Sir Mark Oliphant

Contents - section headings only
Some basic ideas
Chemistry of health and risk
Chemistry in the laundry
Chemistry in the kitchen
Chemistry in the boudoir
Chemistry of surfaces
Chemistry in the garden
Chemistry of swimming pools
Chemistry of hardware
Chemistry of metals

* Tin
* Aluminium
* Case study - magnesium
* Alloys | A very special alloy - iron and carbon
* Biological effects of metals and metalloids
* In what form are they dangerous
* Trace elements - essential, non-essential or toxic
* Aluminium Arsenic
* Cadmium
* Chromium
* Cobalt
* Copper
* Lead
* Mercury
* Selenium
* Tin
* Zinc

Chemistry of fibres, fabrics and other yarns

* Natural fibres The fibre makes the fabric
* Synthetic fibres
* From mess to millions
* Mixed fibres
* Non-woven fabrics
* Fabrics and flammability
* Carpets
* Leather

Chemistry of paints, adhesives, enamels and concrete

* Paints
* Notes onviscosiy- Solvents
*Toxicity- Special-purpose paintsand coatings
* Superabsorbants
*Adhesives
* Epoxy resins
* Ultrafast-setting adhesives
* Formaldehyde resins
* Vitreous enamels
* Dental amalgam
* Portland cement and concrete

Chemistry in the medicine cabinet

* Development of medication
* The history of the industry
* The industry in Australia
* The industry in the UK
* The industry in the USA
* Drugs consumed worldwide
* History of drug control in the USA
* History of drug control in the UK/Australia
* Consumer product information
* Scheduling of poisons
* Pharmacies
* Chemistry of drugs
* Hormones used in sport
* Hallucinogenic drugs
* Mode of action of drugs
* Nicotine and tobacco
* Drug interactions

Chemistry of energy

* What is energy
* What energy do we use?
* What about the sun
* Storing energy for later burning
* What about the car
* Puting chemically-stored energy to work
* What about storing energy?
* What about problems from burning chemical fuels

Chemistry in the dining room

Chemistry of ionising radiation

Publisher: Harcourt Brace
ISBN: 0 7295 33D0 X00
FORMAT: paperback
INCLUDES: 16 pages of full-colour illustrations