The book introduces most of the basic tools of chemometrics including experimental design, signal analysis, statistical methods for analytical chemistry and multivariate methods. It then discusses a number of important applications including food chemistry, biological pattern recognition, reaction monitoring, optimisation of processes, medical applications.

The book arises from a series of short articles that have been developed over four years on Chemweb (www.chemweb.com).

Richard G. Brereton, 1979-1983 : University of Cambridge, 1983 - : University of Bristol,  current position Professor and Director of the Centre of Chemometrics, B.A., (Hons) 1976 (Natural Sciences, speciality chemistry; University of Cambridge), M.A., 1980 (University of Cambridge), Ph.D., 1981 (Thesis : Spectroscopic Studies of Bacteriochlorophyll a; supervisor : Prof. J.K.M.Sanders, FRS, Chemical Laboratory, University of Cambridge), MRSC, C.Chem., 1991 (Royal Society of Chemistry)

Over 1250 citations in the literature, 60+ invited lectures, 30+ seminars given, 2 authored books, contributed to 9 edited works and has co-edited 3 books. Served as Associate Editor Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems (Elsevier) for 5 years.

Taught in undergraduate and graduate courses for over 20 years, written extensively in the application of Chemometrics.