Statistical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contamination

Amstat News asked three review editors to rate their top five favorite books in the September 2003 issue. Statistical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contamination was among those chosen.

This groundbreaking volume describes the statistical theory that underlies the detection and quantification of environmental pollution both in the laboratory and in the field. It presents the foundation of relating measured concentrations to true concentrations and the development of intervals of uncertainty for true concentrations, and it presents a comprehensive review of the problem of estimating thresholds at which detection and quantification decisions can be made reliably.

The authors demonstrate the use of analytical measurements in making environmental impact decisions and in comparing environmental data to regulatory standards and naturally occurring background concentrations. Taking the next step in a major evolution in the way environmental impact decisions are made, Statistical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contamination:

• Presents statistical methods that allow the earliest possible detection and quantification of contaminants
• Describes procedures applicable to all environmental constituents
  
• Covers numerous state-of-the-art approaches
• Includes case studies demonstrating practical applications of these approaches

An indispensable handbook for scientists and engineers involved in environmental monitoring programs, this book is also an important resource for public health officials, waste facility managers, regulators, statisticians, and analytical chemists.

ROBERT D. GIBBONS, PhD, is Professor of Biostatistics and Director of the Center for Health Statistics at the University of Illinois at Chicago

DAVID E. COLEMAN, MS, is Senior Technical Specialist-Statistics at the Alcoa Technical Center in Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania.