Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: Principles and Advanced Applications

A spectroscopic technique such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used to analyze various materials, including solids, liquids and gases. The advantages of this technique include rapid analysis, no prior sample preparation, low cost and the ability to generate qualitative and quantitative analytical data for any sample. There are numerous applications for LIBS in various fields, including environmental monitoring, quality in industry, the food sector and archeology, medicine (pharmaceuticals), biology (bones, nails, hair, blood and skin) and cosmetics, which is one of the main concerns of the World Health Organization due to its significant impact on health. In this review, the LIBS technique is explained in terms of the experimental setup (laser, detector, spectrometer, optical fibers and lenses), using single and double beams to measure sample elements with high accuracy. It was shown that the sensitivity of LIBS depends on calibration-free analysis and pulse-coupled analysis. The data show that the double laser beams provide high accuracy when analyzing complex data.