VIII
Preface
of guidance, the table following this Preface establishes three different comprehensiveness levels and suggests the book sections lecturers might want to
include in each in developing their curricula.
The effort expended on writing this book was funded by Spain's CICyT within the framework of its programme for the development of undergraduate
teaching materials. I wish to thank my colleagues Professors Carmen Camara,
Miguel de la Guardia and Jose Manuel Pingarr6n for their thorough revision of
its draft, which greatly helped me improve the initial scheme, and also first-year
Chemistry student Mercedes L6pez Pastor. Also worthy of special acknowledgement here are Dr Marisol Cardenas, a fellow teacher at the Department of
Analytical Chemistry of the University of C6rdoba, for her proofing assistance,
Jose Manuel Membrives for preparing the typescript and artwork, and Antonio
Losada for the English translation. This book would never have been published
without the warm welcome and support of Peter Enders, Editor of SpringerVerlag.
Miguel Valcarcel
C6rdoba, 1 July 2000