Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) in Environmental and Process Analysis

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, LIBS, is a method utilizing laser ablation and the subsequent atomic emission from the plasma for elemental analysis. Besides the acronym LIBS, today other designations such as LIPS (laser-induced plasma spectroscopy), LA-OES (laser ablation optical emission spectroscopy), or LSS (laser spark spectroscopy) can be found in the literature. Laser ablation is at present the only analytical method that offers direct sampling from any kind of material without sample preparation. So LIBS allows a multielement analysis of virtually all type of materials (gas, solids, liquids) through atomic emission spectroscopy. Today’s availability of reliable and less costly laser sources and improved detectors permits a rapid, on-line, and in-situ analysis with LIBS. This makes LIBS especially attractive for all kind of process analysis and environmental screening and monitoring.