Fuels and Lubricants Handbook: Technology, Properties, Performance, and Testing, G. E. Totten, editor; S. R. Westbrook and R. J. Shah, section editors. This massive tome (x +1087 pages) includes 38 chapters divided into four topical sections that take the reader from petroleum refining, to fuel properties and performance, hydrocarbons and synthetic lubricants, and finally to performance and property testing procedures.

In Section 1, the single chapter on "Petroleum Oil Refining" provides an overview of a modern, integrated refinery, the separation of crude oils into its component fractions, and the processes employed for upgrading these into saleable products. This is a useful introduction to the succeeding 37 chapters, especially for the reader with limited knowledge of how critical the refining process is to the quality and performance of fuels and lubricants.

The following section includes five chapters covering products ranging from liquefied petroleum gases to marine fuels. Among the topics addressed are performance requirements, use of additives, transportation, quality control, cleanliness, stability, and compatibility.

The next section, comprised of 16 chapters, deals mostly with lubricants. The chapter on "Additives and Additive Chemistry" is an excellent introduction to this topic and provides the reader detailed information on a number of additive types of importance to fuels as well as lubricants, including inhibitors, dispersants, and detergents.

The final section, also consisting of 16 chapters, provides information important to those responsible for assessing fuel performance. The section concludes with a chapter on statistical analysis and interpretation of data which will be of use to analysts and technicians with limited knowledge of the subject in better understanding an arcane topic.

An interesting adjunct is the "Starter Package" CD with 19 ASTM fuels and lubricants specifications and test methods. How these 19 standards were selected is obscure. Some of the specifications and test methods are of general interest, while others are specific to a very limited segment of those likely to use this volume.

This is near encyclopedic and provides in-depth discussion of a large range of fuels and lubricants and the test methods used in determining their properties and performance characteristics. The book is well illustrated which assists the reader not familiar with a topic in gaining an understanding of the test equipment used or in the concept involved. Extensive literature references provide an invaluable source of supplemental reading for those needing further information. Each chapter includes a list of the appropriate ASTM and other standards and often provides cross reference to the standards of other organizations and countries. Because of the sheer size of this book and the diverse nature of its 38 chapters, the index is very useful.

I highly recommend both of these publications. They are invaluable references for the research scientist, laboratory technician, those preparing purchase and performance specifications, and others involved in purchasing or using the products described.