A new procedure, based on the laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) technique, is proposed for calibration-free quantitative elemental analysis of materials. The method here presented, based on an algorithm developed and patented by IFAM-CNR, allows the matrix effects to be overcome, yielding precise and accurate quantitative results on elemental composition of materials without use of calibration curves. Some applications of the method are illustrated, for quantitative analysis of the composition of metallic alloys and quantitative determination of the composition of the atmosphere.

In this paper, results are presented showing the feasibility of the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique as a fast and sensitive analytic tool for quantitative measurement of trace elements in water. Many ionic elements were detected; the system linearity was tested by analyzing water samples containing known concentration of Mg and Ca, whereas Cr-polluted samples were exploited to test the system sensitivity limit to impurities.

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The usual technique of the laser induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) spectra analysis relies on the use of calibration curves for quantitative measurements of plasma composition. However, LIPS calibration curves strongly depend on the material composition (the so-called matrix effect); thus, this standard approach to the LIPS spectra analysis is inadequate when precise information on unknown samples composition is required. In this paper we present a new procedure, based on LIPS, for calibration-free quantitative elemental analysis of materials. The new procedure, based on an algorithm developed and patented by IFAM-CNR, allows the overcoming of the matrix effect, yielding precise and accurate quantitative results without the need of calibration curves.

For several years the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique has been applied successfully to the problem of detecting small traces of pollutants in gases. The possible application of this method for the individuation of mercury in air is discussed. The laboratory prototype of the detection system is described in detail, and the sensitivity of the system for the diagnostics of small traces of mercury is determined. The reduced dimensions of the experimental apparatus and its relatively low cost make the LIBS method competitive with other laser-based methods for in situ analysis.