Fiber-optic probe laser-induced breakdown spectrometry for remote detection of toxic elements

Laser ablation and the subsequent development of a high-energy dense plasma are receiving an increased interest for direct spectrochemical analysis of various materials. Observation of the plasma using emission spectrometry is the most direct method and offers the possibility of simultaneous multielement analysis. Recent applications of LIBS have been inclined to be practical field determinations including the elemental analysis of environmental and industrial waste samples. The authors describe the characteristics of fiber-optic probe laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (FOP-LIBS) and its application for direct multielemental analysis, specifically for environmental samples such as rocks, soils, air, solution, etc.