Stand-off LIBS; heavy metals; environmental samples;INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY

Interest in the use of laser-based sensors operating in stand-off mode is increasing due to the wide range of options offered in the evaluation of distant targets. In this work, a stand-off laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (ST-LIBS) system has been developed and demonstrated to determine the heavy elements in soil samples. Initially, different parameters of the device have been optimized in ambient atmosphere and tested for quantitative analysis of Nickel and Chromium at two different stand-off distances (1 m and 6 m). The prepared concentrations were in the range of 100 ppm to 600 ppm. The laser energy of 150 mJ was maintained through out the experiment and to obtain a real time situation the target was in static state.

rare earth elements; absorption; fluorescence; laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS);INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY; OPTICAL-PROPERTIES; QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS; WHITE-LIGHT; DY3+ IONS; LUMINESCENCE; LIBS; YB3+

In this work, rare earth-doped phosphate glasses were synthesized and characterized using three different spectroscopic techniques. The absorption spectra of the prepared praseodymium (Pr) and samarium (Sm) doped glasses, recorded by a UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer, show the characteristic absorption bands of these elements. To confirm this inference, laser-induced fluorescence spectra of Pr and Sm were obtained at a laser excitation of 442 nm. Their emission bands are reported here. The elemental analysis of these samples was carried out using a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system. Characteristic emission lines of Pr and Sm have been identified and reported by the recorded LIBS spectra of glass samples. Results prove that using these three complimentary spectroscopic techniques (absorption, fluorescence and LIBS), we can meaningfully characterize rare earth-doped glass samples.