The three sections of this volume deal with topics of broad interest. The first deals with cetyl alcohol and is a most comprehensive study of this essential ingredient in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, with an explanation of its functionality. The second is a most comprehensive, up-to-date review of acid/base interactions of a variety of materials, including small molecules, proteins and polyelectrolytes. The third section describes the combined radiochemical and electrochemical methods in the evaluation of the properties of solids in contact with solutions.