THE READING GEOLOGIST – BOOK REVIEWS
Two Geochemistry Titles for Students and Professionals Alike Reviewer: James A. Jacobs, CPG-7760
According to one definition, geochemistry is the science which uses the tools and principles of chemistry to answer the questions about chemical reactions and mechanisms behind major geological systems such as the Earth’s crust and oceans. Now, planetary geologists use geochemistry techniques to evaluate other planets and objects in the solar system as well. The term geochemistry was first used by Christian Friedrich Schönbein (1799-1868) in 1838, when the Swiss-German chemist predicted the birth of an entirely new field of scientific study. A bit ahead of his time and with a good understanding of the merits of using a multidisciplinary approach toward solving complex problems of Earth history, he prophetically noted: “In a word, a comparative geochemistry ought to be launched, before geochemistry can become geology, and before the mystery of the genesis of our planets and their inorganic matter may be revealed.”
Predictably, Schönbein’s term “geochemistry” probably offended both early geologists and similarly elitist chemists with his term and there was a great deal of debate over which of the two sciences should provide primary leadership in the new field. Suspicious of each other, in the 1800s and early 1900s there was little collaboration between geologists and chemists; however, the science of geochemistry advanced significantly through Victor M. Goldschmidt (1888-1947). Goldschmidt was a truly visionary scientist and an internationally known Swiss mineralogist who is recognized as the founder of modern geochemistry and crystal chemistry. He also developed the Goldschmidt Classification of elements and the international Goldschmidt conference was named in his honor.
Fortunately the field of geochemistry (including the tools and concepts) has grown collaboratively during the last sev- eral decades to realize the original potential described by Schönbein in 1838. In more recent years, biologically-activated chemical reactions such as those associated with carbonate biomineralization and acid mine drainage have been added to the field of geochemistry as well.
Keeping current in geochemistry concepts and analysis has been difficult in recent years, partly due the rapid changes in the science and in the instrumentation, as well as the need for current books to summarize these advances. To enhance the understanding of this complex interdisciplinary science for the working professional and students alike, two recently released text books provide up-to-date descriptions of practi- cal geochemistry. Geochemistry for geologists is a topic that relates to many practical and economic issues associated with minerals, oil and gas exploration and production, water resource production and management, and environmental assessment and restoration. Forensic geochemistry is part of the toolkit that geoscientists and engineers use to evaluate the source and possible timing of a release and migration of contaminants in the environment. Geochemistry is used to determine the likelihood of generating acid mine drainage. Geochemistry also provides the basis for understanding the age of the Earth, as well as many of the climate and atmo- spheric analyses that address long-term climate change over hundreds of millions of years.
Both books are excellent volumes for geologists and reflect information provided by experienced teachers as writers. The books provide insights into geochemistry reflected by the choice of content and the general progression of concepts pre- sented. The first book reviewed is the more introductory and practical Environmental and Low Temperature Geochemistry by Peter Ryan. The second book reviewed is the highly tech- nical and exhaustively researched Geochemistry by William M. White.
Environmental and Low-Temperature Geochemistry pres- ents conceptual and quantitative principles of geochemistry of the natural processes at and near the earth’s surface as well as anthropogenic impacts on the natural environment. Containing 11 chapters and 416 pages, the book provides the reader with the essentials of concentration, speciation and reactivity of elements in soil, water, sediments and air, draw- ing attention to both thermodynamic and kinetic controls. The first chapter starts with an review of basic chemical principles applied to environmental and low-temperature geochemis- try. Mineral formation, principles of aqueous geochemistry and organic compounds in the environment are described. Chapters also include the role of microbes in processes such as biomineralization, elemental speciation and reduction-oxi- dation reactions. The primary large-scale geochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfur) are discussed as well as atmospheric chemistry and soil geochemistry. The book concludes with chapters about stable isotopes in environmental analysis, radioactive and radiogenic isotopes as environmental tracers, and environmental contaminants. Practical descriptions of principles and examples of instru- mental analysis in environmental geochemistry are included
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