Journal of Controlled Release 67 (2000) 417–419
www.elsevier.com / locate / jconrel
Book reviews
Basic Transport Phenomena in Biomedical En-
gineering, R.L. Fournier, editor, Taylor & Francis,
Philadelphia, PA, 1999, 312 pages.
This is a textbook that maybe of peripheral interest
to most of readers of this journal. Yet, this is a most
welcome addition to the academics who work in the
broader field of biomedical engineering. At last, a
textbook for biomedical engineers that does not cut
corners, a book that addresses important questions of
mathematical modeling of mass transfer in biological
systems or fluid flow in elastic conduits (as arteries
are), or a textbook that presents an exact phar-
macokinetic analysis with a plethora of examples!
In the past 25 years there have been only two
other texts that have offered a satisfactory approach
to such problems. The text ‘Biomedical Engineering
Principles’ (Dekker, 1976, by David Cooney, whom
we lost so suddenly last year at the age of 59) was
the standard text of all transport-oriented biomedical
engineers. Ed Lightfoot’s ‘Transport Phenomena and
Living Systems’ (Wiley, 1974) nurtured us in the
more advanced aspects of the field. Unfortunately,
since 1994 both books have been out of print.
Fournier’s new textbook has been written in a
level and a style that will be particularly appreciated
by first year graduate students. It is clear, accurate
and has plenty of references and problems. After a
short introduction to the physicochemical properties
of physiological fluids and cells (Guyton’s ‘Physi-
ology’ will continue being a standard supplementary
text for all converted biomedical scientists), the
textbook addresses solute transport in biological
systems, blood rhelogy, gas transport in biological
systems, pharmacokinetics, extracorporeal devices,
0168-3659 / 00 / $ – see front matter  2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
tissue engineering and bioartificial organs. My
graduate students found it a very helpful text and a
good source of initial reading before they go to more
specialized references.
If engineering aspects and design of biomedical
systems or devices are parts of your work or
research, do not fail to buy this book. It will become
a constant reference in your work.
Nicholas A. Peppas
School of Chemical Engineering
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907
USA
PII: S0168-3659( 00 )00218-2
Pharmaceutical Excipients – Characterization by
IR, Raman, and NMR Spectroscopy, David E.
Bugay and W. Paul Findlay, editors, Marcel Dekker,
Basel, ISBN: 0-8247-9373-0. Volume 94 of the
series: Drugs and the pharmaceutical sciences, 669
pp, hard cover.
Over the past ten years, molecular spectroscopy has
become an invaluable tool for the physical charac-
terization of pharmaceutical solids, including bulk
drug substances, bulk excipients, physical blends,
and final solid dosage forms. The use of spectral
libraries in the field of vibrational spectroscopy is
very common. They can be used for the identifica-
tion of compounds, investigative studies, and prob-
lem solving activities. This is the first book to