Direct determination of the nutrient profile in plant materials by femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (fs-LIBS) has been used for the first time for quantitative determination of nutrients in plant materials from different crops. A highly heterogeneous population of 31 samples, previously analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, covering a wide range of matrices was interrogated. To tackle the analysis, laser-induced plasmas under argon atmosphere of pellets prepared from sieved cryogenically ground leaves were studied. Predictive functions based on univariate and multivariate modeling of optical emissions associated to macro- (Ca, Mg, and P) and micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were designed. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to select representative calibration (n_cal = 17) and validation (n_val = 14) datasets. The predictive performance of calibration functions over fs-LIBS data was compared with that attained on spectral information from nanosecond LIBS (ns-LIBS) operating at different wavelengths (1064 nm, 532 nm, and 266 nm). Findings established higher accuracy and less uncertainty on mass fractions quantification from fs-LIBS, whatever the modeling approach. Quality coefficients below 20% for the accuracy error on mass fractions’ prediction in unknown samples, and residual predictive deviations in general above 5, were obtained. In contrast, only multivariate modeling satisfactorily handled the non-linear variations of emissions in ns-LIBS, leading to 2-fold decrease in the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of Ca, Mg, P, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in comparison with the univariate approach. But still, an averaged quality coefficient about 35% and residual predictive deviations below 3 were found. Similar predictive capabilities were observed when changing the laser wavelength. Although predicted values by ns-LIBS multivariate modeling exhibit better agreement with reference mass fractions as compared to univariate functions, fs-LIBS conducts better quantification of nutrients in plant materials since it is less dependent on the chemical composition of the matrices.     

Calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of oxide materials

The quantitative determination of oxide concentration by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is relevant in various fields of applications (e.g.: analysis of ores, concrete, slag). Calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and the multivariate calibration are among the methods employed for quantitative concentration analysis of complex materials. We measured the intensity of neutral and ionized atomic emission lines of oxide materials by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and we modified the calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy method to increase the accuracy. The concentration of oxides was obtained by using stoichiometric relations. Sample materials were prepared from oxide powder (Fe₂O₃, MgO, CaO) by mixing and pressing. The concentration was 9.8–33.3 wt.% Fe₂O₃, 7.6–33.3 wt.% MgO and 33.3–81.2 wt.% CaO for different samples. Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 1064 nm, pulse duration ≈ 6 ns) ablation was performed in air. The laser-induced plasma emission was measured by an Echelle spectrometer equipped with a sensitivity calibrated ICCD camera. The numerical calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy algorithm included the fast deconvolution of instrumental function, and the correction of self-absorption effects. The oxide concentration C_CF calculated from calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy results and the nominal concentration C_N were very close for all samples investigated. The relative error in concentration, |C_CF–C_N|/C_N, was < 10%, < 20%, and < 5% for Fe₂O₃, MgO, and CaO, respectively. The results indicate that this method can be employed for the analysis of major elements in multi-component technical materials.     

Optimization of collinear double-pulse femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of silicon

This paper investigates the optimization of double-pulse collinear femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (FLIBS) for silicon. Double-pulse FLIBS signal enhancements were observed over an extended range of sample focal plane position compared to single pulse FLIBS. The FLIBS signal intensity was studied as a function of pulse energy, inter-pulse delay (0 ps‑80 ps) and sample position. Correlation between crater volume and signal intensity was measured over a limited range of the sample focal plane position. It was found that double-pulse FLIBS is superior to single pulse for certain focal plane positions.     

All-fiber-coupled laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy sensor for hazardous materials analysis

An all-fiber-coupled laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor device is developed. A passively Q-switched Cr⁴⁺Nd³⁺:YAG microchip laser is amplified within an Yb fiber amplifier, thus generating high power laser pulses (pulse energy E_p = 0.8 mJ, wavelength λ = 1064 nm, repetition rate f_rep. = 5 kHz, pulse duration t_p = 1.2 ns). A passive (LMA) optical fiber is spliced to the active fiber of an Yb fiber amplifier for direct guiding of high power laser pulses to the sensor tip. In front of the sensor a plasma is generated on the surface to be analyzed. The plasma emission is collected by a set of optical fibers also integrated into the sensor tip. The spectrally resolved LIBS spectra are processed by application of principal component analysis (PCA) and analyzed together with the time-resolved spectra with neural networks. Such procedure allows accurate analysis of samples by LIBS even for materials with similar atomic composition. The system has been tested successfully during field measurements at the German Armed Forces test facility at Oberjettenberg.

The LIBS sensor is not restricted to anti-personnel mine detection but has also the potential to be suitable for analysis of bulk explosives and surface contaminations with explosives, e.g. for the detection of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).     

Quantitative determination of element concentrations in industrial oxide materials by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) method is employed for quantitative determination of oxide concentrations in multi-component materials. Industrial oxide materials from steel industry are laser ablated in air, and the optical plasma emission is collected by spectrometers and gated detectors. The temperature and electron number density of laser-induced plasma are determined from measured LIBS spectra. Emission lines of aluminium (Al), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and chromium (Cr) of low self-absorption are selected, and the concentration of oxides CaO, Al₂O₃, MgO, SiO₂, FeO, MnO, TiO₂, and Cr₂O₃ is calculated by CF-LIBS analysis. For all sample materials investigated, we find good match of calculated concentration values (C _CF) with nominal concentration values (C _N). The relative error in oxide concentration, e _r = |C _CF − C _N|/C _N, decreases with increasing concentration and it is e _r ≤ 100% for concentration C _N ≥ 1 wt.%. The CF-LIBS results are stable against fluctuations of experimental parameters. The variation of laser pulse energy over a large range changes the error by less than 10% for major oxides (C _N ≥ 10 wt.%). The results indicate that CF-LIBS method can be employed for fast and stable quantitative compositional analysis of multi-component materials.     

Determination of poisonous metals in wastewater collected from paint manufacturing plant using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system was developed for determination of toxic metals in wastewater collected from local paint manufacturing plant. The plasma was generated by focusing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm on the solid residue from wastewater collected from paint industry. The concentration of different elements of environmental significance like, lead, copper, chromium, calcium, sulphur, magnesium, zinc, titanium, strontium, nickel, silicone, iron, aluminum, barium, sodium, potassium and zirconium, in paint wastewater were 6, 3, 4, 301, 72, 200, 20, 42, 4, 1, 35, 120, 133, 119, 173, 28 and 12 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. The evaluation of potential and capabilities of LIBS as a rapid tool for paint industry effluent characterization is discussed in detail. Optimal experimental conditions were evaluated for improving the sensitivity of our LIBS system through parametric dependence study. The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) results were compared with the results obtained using standard analytical technique such as inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP). The relative accuracy of our LIBS system for various elements as compared with ICP method is in the range of 0.03-0.6 at 2.5% error confidence. Limits of detection (LOD) of our LIBS system were also estimated for the above mentioned elements.     

Time-resolved plasma properties for double pulsed laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of silicon

A systematic measurement of plasma properties (temperature, electron number density, pressure) was performed during LIBS of silicon with two nanosecond pulsed lasers operating at 1064 nm. The spectral characteristics of the plasmas were measured to determine the plasma properties as delay time between the laser pulses was changed from 0 to 10 ms. The plasma properties and crater dimensions increased abruptly from 100 to 200 ns. The crater depth increased from 2 to 10 μm (volume increased about 5 times) per pair of double pulses. Enhanced mass removal was indicative of a phase explosion mechanism. Spatial images of plasma emission were measured to study the dynamics of plasma expansion.     

Double-pulse standoff laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for versatile hazardous materials detection

We have developed a double-pulse standoff laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (ST-LIBS) system capable of detecting a variety of hazardous materials at tens of meters. The use of a double-pulse laser improves the sensitivity and selectivity of ST-LIBS, especially for the detection of energetic materials. In addition to various metallic and plastic materials, the system has been used to detect bulk explosives RDX and Composition-B, explosive residues, biological species such as the anthrax surrogate Bacillus subtilis, and chemical warfare simulants at 20 m. We have also demonstrated the discrimination of explosive residues from various interferents on an aluminum substrate.     

Lead determination in glasses by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been used to determine the lead content of different types of lead silicate glasses commercially designed as sonorous glass (which contain ∼ 10 wt.% PbO); crystal glass (with at least 24 wt.% PbO) and superior crystal glass (with at least 30 wt.% PbO). Seven different types of glass samples were selected, including historic-original, model and commercially available. The selected samples were artificially weathered under neutral, acid and alkaline attack. Analysis by LIBS was carried out in vacuum under excitation at 266 nm and results were compared with those obtained by conventional techniques used for glass characterization. Composition of the bulk glasses was analyzed by XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and the corroded surfaces were characterized by SEM/EDX (scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis). A linear correlation was obtained between the intensity of selected Pb lines in the LIB spectra and the PbO content. The effect of corrosion could be characterized by comparing successive LIB spectra recorded on the same area; acid attack resulted in a decrease of PbO, CaO and Na₂O content in the surface with respect to the bulk of the sample, while minor changes in the composition were noticed under alkaline attack. These results show LIBS as a useful technique to classify the different types of lead glasses by their lead content and to determine and asses the degree and type of corrosion.     

Characterization of jewellery products by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The suitability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the characterization of jewellery products is demonstrated by the development of a method based on the use of an Nd-YAG laser (operating at 532 nm) which induces ablation of the material and the production of a plasma whose emission reaches 1/8 m spectrograph (connected to a coupled charge detector (CCD)) through an optic fiber. The treatment of the instrumental signal provides enough analytical information, both for identifying and quantifying the major metals present in this type of material. The method proposed has been developed both by multivariate optimization and calibration procedures with application of the appropriate quality criteria. The chemometric analysis of the data and the use of PLS regression for calibration guarantee the ruggedness of the proposed method. The study of the emission spectra allows characterization of the most common noble metals (gold and silver) as well as other metals present in jewellery pieces.     

Forensic comparative glass analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Glass samples of four types commonly encountered in forensic examinations have been analyzed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the purpose of discriminating between samples originating from different sources. Some of the glass sets were also examined by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Refractive index (RI) measurements were also made on all glass samples and the refractive index data was combined with the LIBS and with the LA-ICP-MS data to enhance discrimination. The glass types examined included float glass taken from front and side automobile windows (examined on the non-float side), automobile headlamp glass, automobile side-mirror glass and brown beverage container glass. The largest overall discrimination was obtained by employing RI data in combination with LA-ICP-MS (98.8% discrimination of 666 pairwise comparisons at 95% confidence), while LIBS in combination with RI provided a somewhat lower discrimination (87.2% discrimination of 1122 pairwise comparisons at 95% confidence). Samples of side-mirror glass were less discriminated by LIBS due to a larger variance in emission intensities, while discrimination of side-mirror glass by LA-ICP-MS remained high.     

Fused glass sample preparation for quantitative laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of geologic materials

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is a powerful analytical method, but LIBS is subject to a matrix effect which can limit its ability to produce quantitative results in complex materials such as geologic samples. Various methods of sample preparation, calibration, and data processing have been attempted to compensate for the matrix effect and improve LIBS precision. This study focuses on sample preparation by comparing fused glass as a preparation for powdered material to the more commonly used method of pressing powder into pellets for LIBS analysis of major elements in complex geologic materials. Pelletizing powdered material is a common and convenient method for preparing samples but problems with the physical matrix brought on by inconsistencies in the homogeneity, density, and laser absorption, coupled with the chemical matrix problem lead to spectral peak responses that are not always consistent with the absolute concentration of representative elements. Twenty-two mineral and rock samples were analyzed for eight major oxide elements. Samples were prepared under both glass and pellet methods and compared for internal precision and overall accuracy. Fused glass provided a more consistent physical matrix and yielded more reliable peak responses in the LIBS analysis than did the pressed pellet preparation. Statistical comparisons demonstrated that the glass samples expressed stronger separability between different mineral species based on the eight elements than for the pressed pellets and showed better spot-to-spot repeatability. Regression models showed substantially better correlations and predictive ability among the elements for the glass preparation than did those for the pressed pellets.     

Quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical products by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

In this paper, the capabilities of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for rapid analysis of multi-component pharmaceutical tablets are illustrated using several examples. The atomic line emission from an element present only in a particular component of the tablet (for instance, emission of phosphorus from the drug, or of magnesium from the lubricant) enables the quantitative analysis of that component. It is also demonstrated that simple schemes can significantly improve the analytical performance of LIBS in this context. In particular, internal standardization with a carbon line was found to enable the correction of a matrix effect, apart from improving the precision of measurement. Furthermore, an improvement in the linearity of calibration was observed when the plasma continuum emission was used as internal standard. Finally, in the case of drugs containing halogen species (e.g. F or Cl), producing the plasma in a helium atmosphere caused a seven to eight-fold increase of the signal-to-background ratio, thus improving sensitivity. These data illustrate the strengths of LIBS for fast at-line assessment of the reliability of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.     

Quantitative analysis of oxide materials by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with argon as an internal standard

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is demonstrated as a quantitative technique for geochemical analysis. This study demonstrates the applicability of LIBS to multielemental analysis of minerals using argon as an internal standard. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been applied to measure elements in oxide form. In the present study, the contents of several oxides, such as Fe₂O₃, CaO and MgO, in geological samples from the Tierga Mine (Zaragoza, Spain) were analyzed by LIBS. An argon environment was used to eliminate interference from air at atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, argon was used as an internal standard. The result was enhanced signal and enhanced linearity of the calibration curves. The Fe₂O₃, CaO and MgO concentrations determined by LIBS were compared with the results obtained using another analytical technique, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentrations found using LIBS were in good agreement with the values obtained by ICP-OES.     

Determination of the deuterium/hydrogen ratio in gas reaction products by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

This paper reports the first application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique (LIBS) to the determination of deuterium/hydrogen numeric ratio (β) in the headspace gases, essentially HD + H₂, that are generated by the hydrolysis of NaBD₄–NaBH₄ mixtures (molar fraction of NaBD₄, x = 50–100%) in acidic H₂O media (0 < pH < 1). The LIBS measurement of β can be easily achieved with a coefficient of variation better than 5% (over four replicates). The value of β allowed the calculation of the molar fraction of NaBD₄, x_LIBS, with a coefficient of variation better than 2.5%. The comparison of x vs. x_LIBS gives results that are in good agreement, within an average deviation of 3%, for x in the range of 50–100%. The best performances are obtained for β close to unit, which makes LIBS perfectly suited for the detection of H–D exchange taking place during aqueous hydrolysis of NaBD₄ or NaBH₄.     

Quantitative analysis of slurry sample by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been employed for the analysis of slurry samples. Quantitative analysis of slurry samples is crucial and challenging. The problems associated with slurry samples include splashing, surface turbulence, and the difficulties of obtaining reproducible samples due to sedimentation. The LIBS analysis has achieved limited success due to inherent disadvantages when applied to slurry samples. In order to achieve improved measurement precision and accuracy, a spin-on-glass sampling method was evaluated. Five elements (Al, Ca, Fe, Ni, and Si) were examined in five slurry simulants containing varying amounts of each ion. Three calibration models were developed by using univariate calibration, multiple linear regression, and partial least square regression. LIBS analysis results obtained from the partial least square regression model were determined to be the best fit to results obtained from inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analysis.     

Femtosecond laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of sea water

The composition of the line and band spectra of the plasma induced by a femtosecond laser pulse on the surface of sea water is determined. The temporal behaviors of the intensity of the continuum and the Ca II, Mg II and Na I lines are investigated. It is shown that the time dependence of the intensity of the Na I line is described by a monoexponential function. The characteristic decay times of the line intensities of Mg II and Na I were used to estimate the three-body recombination times. Using these values, we estimate the electron number density and the feasibility of Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) criterion. A method involving excitation rate constants is proposed for the comparison of detection limits. For a plasma generated on a liquid surface, the following relation among detection limits will be obtained: LOD(Na) < LOD(K) < LOD(Ca) < LOD(Al) < LOD(Mg) < LOD(Zn).     

Characterization of coal fly ash components by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The high sensitivity of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the detection of most of the fly ash components enables the analysis of these residues produced during the combustion of coal. Fly ash consists of oxides (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, CaO…) and unburnt carbon which is the major determinant of combustion efficiency in coal fired boilers. For example, an excessive amount of residual carbon dispersed in the fly ash means a significant loss of energy (Styszko et al., 2004 [1]). Standard methods employed for the analysis of fly ash make not possible a control of boiler in real time. LIBS technique can significantly reduce the time of analysis, in some cases even an online detection can be performed. For this reason, some studies have been addressed in order to demonstrate the capability of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique for the detection of carbon content in high pressure conditions typical of thermal power plants (Noda et al., 2002 [2]) and for the monitoring of unburnt carbon for the boiler control in real time (Kurihara et al., 2003[3]).In particular, the content of unburnt carbon is a valuable indicator for the control of fly ash quality and for the boiler combustion. Depending on this unburnt carbon content, fly ash can be disposed as an industrial waste or as a raw material for the production of concrete in the construction sector. In this study, analyses were performed on specimens of various forms of preparation. Pressed pellets were prepared with two different binders. Presented results concern the nature and amount of the binder used to pelletize the powder, and the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy parameters and procedure required to draw calibration curves of elements from the fly ash. Analysis “on tape” was performed in order to establish the experimental conditions for the future “online analysis”.     

Rapid in-situ analysis of liquid steel by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) denotes a technique where a pulsed laser beam is used to ablate small amounts of the target material. The characteristic optical emission line intensities of the excited species in the laser-generated plasma allow a quantitative chemical analysis of the target material. LIBS is a fast, non-contact method allowing large working distances between the sample under investigation and the detection system. These properties make LIBS applicable to process control in metallurgy. We describe an apparatus designed for rapid in-situ analysis of solid and molten metals at variable distances of up to 1.5 m. A variable lens system allows compensation for varying positions of the liquid steel surface. The LIBS signal is guided by a fiber optic bundle of 12-m length to the spectrometer. Analysis of an element's concentration takes 7 s. Laboratory experiments using an induction furnace showed that the addition of admixtures to liquid steel results in rapid response of the system. Results including the in-situ monitoring of Cr, Cu, Mn and Ni within certain concentration ranges are presented (Cr: 0.11–13.8 wt.%; Cu: 0.044–0.54 wt.%; Mn: 1.38–2.5 wt.%; Ni: 0.049–5.92 wt.%).     

Atomic and molecular emissions in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

This article summarizes measurements and analysis of hydrogen Balmer series atomic lines following laser-induced optical breakdown. Electron number density on the order of 1 × 10²⁵ m^− 3 can be measured using H_α Stark width and shift in the analysis of breakdown plasma in 1 to 1.3 × 10⁵ Pa, gaseous hydrogen. The H_β line can be utilized for electron number density up to 7 × 10²³ m^− 3. The historic significance is elaborated of accurate H_β measurements. Electron excitation temperature is inferred utilizing Boltzmann plot techniques that include H_γ atomic lines and further members of the Balmer series. Laser ablation of aluminum is discussed in view of limits of application of the Balmer series. H_β and H_γ lines show presence of molecular carbon in a 2.7 and 6.5 × 10⁵ Pa, expanding methane flow. Diagnostic of such diatomic emission spectra is discussed as well. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy historically embraces elemental analysis, or atomic spectroscopy, and to a lesser extent molecular spectroscopy. Yet occurrence of superposition spectra in the plasma decay due to recombination or due to onset of chemical reactions necessitates consideration of both atomic and molecular emissions following laser-induced optical breakdown. Molecular excitation temperature is determined using so-called modified Boltzmann plots and fitting of spectra from selected molecular transitions. The primary interest is micro-plasma characterization during the first few micro-seconds following optical breakdown, including shadowgraph visualizations.