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Serum contains rich elemental information, and the elemental analysis of the serum using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) can help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In this work, serum specimens from breast cancer patients were used as samples, and the elements Mg, Ca, and K were analyzed using LIBS. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were introduced to enhance spectral emission intensities, and this technique is known as nanoparticle-enhanced LIBS (NELIBS). An Ag NP-coated filter paper (Ag NP paper) substrate was prepared and was compared with silicon and aluminum substrates for NELIBS analysis. The Ag NP paper substrate showed lower spectral intensity variances and better elemental distribution uniformity due to the reduced coffee-ring effect compared with silicon and aluminum substrates. The enhanced effect of the Ag NP paper was optimized by adjusting serum volume and Ag NPs concentration. It was found that Mg, Ca, and K required different optimal conditions for spectral enhancement. The highest enhancement factors (EF) for Mg, Ca, and K were 1.85, 1.76, and 3.10, respectively. The electron temperature (Te) and electron number density (Ne) of NELIBS plasmas were measured using the Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening methods and compared with those of the normal LIBS plasmas. The Te and Ne of the NELIBS and normal LIBS samples were generally comparable with each other. Higher Ag NP concentrations led to lower Te values for NELIBS plasmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive emissions of heavy metals not only cause environmental pollution but also pose a direct threat to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of heavy metals in the environment is of great significance. Herein, we propose a method based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with filter paper modified with bovine serum albumin-protected gold nanoclusters (LIBS-FP-AuNCs) for the rapid and sensitive detection of Cr3+ and Mn2+. The filter paper modified with AuNCs was used to selectively enrich Cr3+ and Mn2+. Combined with the multi-element detection capability of LIBS, this method achieved the simultaneous rapid detection of Cr3+ and Mn2+. Both elements showed linear ranges for concentrations of 10–1000 μg L−1, with limits of detection of 7.5 and 9.0 μg L−1 for Cr3+ and Mn2+, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the determination of Cr3+ and Mn2+ in real water samples, with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 94.6% to 105.1%. This method has potential application in the analysis of heavy metal pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive emissions of heavy metals not only cause environmental pollution but also pose a direct threat to human health. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of heavy metals in the environment is of great significance. Herein, we propose a method based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with filter paper modified with bovine serum albumin-protected gold nanoclusters (LIBS-FP-AuNCs) for the rapid and sensitive detection of Cr3+ and Mn2+. The filter paper modified with AuNCs was used to selectively enrich Cr3+ and Mn2+. Combined with the multi-element detection capability of LIBS, this method achieved the simultaneous rapid detection of Cr3+ and Mn2+. Both elements showed linear ranges for concentrations of 10–1000 μg L−1, with limits of detection of 7.5 and 9.0 μg L−1 for Cr3+ and Mn2+, respectively. This method was successfully applied to the determination of Cr3+ and Mn2+ in real water samples, with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 94.6% to 105.1%. This method has potential application in the analysis of heavy metal pollution.

Paper is a widely used material and common recyclable household waste in waste disposal, which gets more attention nowadays for the misclassification of recyclable waste. In this work, an online source tracing system combined with machine learning algorithms to identify and classify the smoke of waste paper incineration based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was established. Four types of waste paper, including tissue, corrugated paper, printing paper, and newspaper, were taken as examples. The smoke of four different waste papers was detected by LIBS and then further analyzed. The detected spectra with C, N, O, Mg, Al, and Ca could hardly be distinguished artificially. The random forest algorithm and the linear discriminant analysis were introduced to classify the smoke, and its accuracy reached 95.83%. The results indicate that source tracing of waste paper can be realized by identifying and classifying the smoke via the developed system. This could provide some reference for helping us to monitor the effectiveness of waste classification and incineration and monitor the atmosphere pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To make better use of brine, it is necessary to detect the element content before mining and processing. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a fast, simple, and flexible analytical method. However, the absorption of laser energy by liquid greatly reduces the plasma life and emission intensity. Although an improvement in the excitation source improves the characterization of the liquid, it makes the device more complicated and increases the cost. This article introduces a method for detecting Na and Mg in brine using LIBS with filter paper adsorption (FPA-LIBS). The limits of detection were 7.98 and 10.57 mg L−1 for sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg), respectively. The results of six brine samples obtained using this method and inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometry were compared. The discrepancy and recovery values were 1.34–8.94% and 91.64–107.35%, respectively. In addition, the results of the analysis after storage for five days were consistent with those measured initially. These results indicate that FPA-LIBS accurately determined Na and Mg in brine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four major toners are used in the printing industry, cyan, magenta, yellow and black (Key) for making color images on paper. Paper brands suitable for printing have thin mineral/latex coatings, and toners are applied on top of the coating in the printing process. Chemical compositions from toner to toner, as well as from coating to coating, vary according to the needs of the end user. Interactions between the toner and the coating define the final color formation of the images in printing. Hence, it is important to study characteristics and dynamics of toners on coated papers. In this paper, we have used laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIBS) to provide information on elemental distributions of the toner and the coating layers on three coated papers and the base paper at a sub-micrometer resolution. Ablation crater depth profiles in the three different material layers were converted into metric scale by combining elemental information from the LIBS measurements and optical profilometry. Ablation efficiencies for a toner of 150 nm/pulse, for a coating of approximately 350 nm/pulse and for a base paper of approximately 1 μm at a fluence of 0.6 J/cm2 of an ArF excimer laser were determined. Using these results, the average layer thicknesses of the toner and the coating layers were evaluated. The detailed analysis of the elemental profiles of the two cyan toners studied revealed strong accumulation of silicon and titanium compounds of the toner on the toner–air interface but also on the toner–coating interface, but to a much smaller extent. The observation reveals the significance of toner component diffusion due to substrate–machine interaction in the printing process. Such diffusion processes must have an important role in final color formation of the images in printing. The method developed provides a unique and accurate means to study toner diffusion processes in coated papers under printing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of traces of impurities/elements present in liquid samples using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is challenging because the signal intensity is weaker than in the case of solid samples. The present paper deals with the optimization of experimental parameters for different phases of a liquid sample and the improvement of the limit of detection (LOD) in these LIBS experimental setups. LIBS spectra of chromium in the liquid sample have been recorded in three different configurations [laminar flow, i.e., liquid flowing through a small jet, frozen liquid (ice), and liquid deposited on a filter paper]. Experimental conditions for different phases were optimized to get a better signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio and signal-to-background ratio (S/B) in the LIBS spectra. The best S/N and S/B ratio is observed when LIBS spectra is recorded for the liquid deposited on the filter paper configuration. The spectral intensity of Cr is enhanced several folds (36 times) in the LIBS spectra recorded in the filter paper configuration as compared to the laminar flow. The calibration curve method is used to measure the LOD for three different configurations. The better LOD (9.7 ppm for 357.8 nm Cr line) is observed in the case of deposited liquid on the filter paper than the other liquid phase (laminar, 85.5 ppm and ice, 63.7 ppm) configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions is important for environment and human health. Hence, the rapid and sensitive detection of multiple heavy metals simultaneously has become a critical issue. Here, we propose a method based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with filter paper modified with PtAg bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) (LIBS-FP-PtAgBNPs) for the ultrasensitive detection of Hg2+, Cr3+, and Pb2+. The PtAgBNPs-modified filter paper was used to efficiently and specifically adsorb Hg, Cr, and Pb, and LIBS was used to detect the Hg, Cr, and Pb simultaneously. The limits of detection for Hg, Cr, and Pb were 0.5 μg/L (2.5 nM), 8 μg/L (0.15 μM), and 2 μg/L (9 nM), respectively. Furthermore, this method was successfully applied to determine the concentrations of Hg, Cr, and Pb in real spiked water samples. Compared with other methods based on nanoparticle sensing, LIBS-FP-PtAgBNPs is simpler to use and can achieve highly efficient enrichment, rapid separation, and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions. The optimal detections of Hg, Cr, and Pb were achieved in the pH range of 1–6. The developed method provides a new avenue to realize the rapid and sensitive detection of trace heavy metals in the environment. [Display omitted] ● LIBS-FP-PtAgBNPs was proposed for sensitive detection of Hg2+, Cr3+, and Pb2+. ● The multiple heavy metals could be detected simultaneously by LIBS-FP-PtAgBNPs. ● The BNPs-modified filter paper can be effectively separated from the solution. ● LIBS-FP-PtAgBNPs can detect Hg2+, Cr3+, and Pb2+ without other ions influence. ● Hg2+, Cr3+, and Pb2+ in real samples could be accurately detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast and reliable analysis of electrolytes such as K, Na, Ca in human blood serum has become an indispensable tool for diagnosing and preventing diseases. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been demonstrated as a powerful analytical technique on elements. To apply LIBS to the quantitative analysis of electrolyte elements in real time, a self-developed portable laser was used to measure blood serum samples supported by glass slides and filter paper in this work. The partial least squares regression (PLSR) method was employed for predicting the concentrations of K, Na, Ca from serum LIBS spectra. Great prediction accuracies with excellent linearity were obtained for the serum samples, both on glass slides and filter paper. For blood serum on glass slides, the prediction accuracies for K, Na, Ca were 1.45%, 0.61% and 3.80%. Moreover, for blood serum on filter paper, the corresponding prediction accuracies were 7.47%, 1.56% and 0.52%. The results show that LIBS using a portable laser with the assistance of PLSR can be used for accurate quantitative analysis of elements in blood serum in real time. This work reveals that the handheld LIBS instruments will be an excellent tool for real-time clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strontium (Sr) is an element of toxicological concern due to its close chemical proximity to Ca. In this work, Sr in sea salts collected from China and South Korea was analyzed by laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The precision could be improved by using multiple filter‐paper sampling and intensity normalization using a weak Na I line as a reference signal. The analyte signal variation between filter‐paper pieces as well as that within a single filter‐paper piece could be corrected by the suggested method. The limit of detection of ~2 ppm and the precision of ~5% could be obtained. As a measure of accuracy, the root‐mean‐square error was estimated to be 9 ppm. The multiple filter‐paper sampling can be performed easily on the salt production sites and improves the LIBS analysis precision resulting to sufficient quantification capability for minor metallic elements in edible sea salt products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Electrolyte Analysis in Blood Serum by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Using a Portable Laser" published in the journal Molecules. The correction addresses an error in Figure 6 of the original publication, where Figures 6b and 6c were duplicated. The corrected Figure 6, showing the quantitative analysis of elements in blood serum on filter paper (K, Na, and Ca), has been provided. The authors assure that this correction does not affect the scientific conclusions of the study. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: In the present work, the analytical potential of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the discrimination of paper types and prints made by digital printers on these papers was assessed. Six different paper types (including standard office papers, color paper and non-bleached paper), and eight printers (including laser and inkjet, as well as color and black printers) were included in the study. Only one or two laser shots were delivered to each sample in order to cause minimal sample destruction and provide maximum spatial resolution. The statistical evaluation of LIBS spectra was performed by multiple methods including three comparative functions (linear correlation, sum of squared deviations and overlapping integral) as well as two advanced statistical methods (multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) combined with classification tree and discriminant analysis (DA)). The best classification results were obtained with the newly introduced MCR-ALS/DA approach, which proved to be 96.3% accurate in the identification of the paper type and 83.3% accurate in the identification of the printer type, based on the LIBS spectrum collected from just a single laser shot to the sample. It was found that the UV part of the LIBS spectrum can be used most efficiently for the discrimination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy is explored for the estimation of Zr in metallic fuel and pyrochemical reprocessing stream using filter paper as a sample substrate. Zr(II) emission line at 339.20 nm has been identified and used for its quantitative determination. Calibration curves are obtained after normalizing the intensity of Zr to C/Y emission lines as an internal standard, to get better linearity. Analytical capability of LIBS for Zr estimation is tested by comparing the measured value with ICP-OES in simulated samples. Good agreement between the measured values confirms the ability of LIBS application in nuclear streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the feasibility of Quantum dots (QDs) 2D distribution mapping on the substrate by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was examined. The major objective of this study was to describe phenomena occurring after applying aqueous solutions of QDs onto filtration paper. Especially, the influence of pH and presence of Cu 2 + cations in QDs solutions on LIBS signal was investigated. Cadmium Telluride QDs (CdTe QDs) were prepared by formation of nanosized semiconductor particles in so called “one-pot” synthesis. CdTe QDs were capped by glutathione or by 3-mercaptopropionic acid. The technique described in this work allows detection of QDs injected on the selected substrate – filtration paper. Results obtained from LIBS experiments were collated with a comparative method, fluorescence microscopy, which showed variations in the distribution of QDs on the substrate surface and possibilities for quenching. Due to the immediate signal response, relatively simple instrumentation and automatization possibility, LIBS offers promising and fast alternative to other techniques, as it is able to detect also nanoparticles with no visible luminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an approach for selecting an internal standard to improve the precision of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysis for determining calcium (Ca) concentration in water. The dissolved Ca2+ions were pre-concentrated on filter paper by evaporating water. The filter paper was dried and analyzed using LIBS. By adding strontium chloride to sample solutions and using a Sr II line at 407.771 nm for the intensity normalization of Ca II lines at 393.366 or 396.847 nm, the analysis precision could be significantly improved. The Ca II and Sr II line intensities were mapped across the filter paper, and they showed a strong positive shot-to-shot correlation with the same spatial distribution on the filter paper surface. We applied this analysis approach for the measurement of Ca2+in tap, bottled, and ground water samples. The Ca2+concentrations determined using LIBS are in good agreement with those obtained from flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Finally, we suggest a homologousrelation of the strongest emission lines of period 4 and 5 elements in groups IA and IIA based on their similar electronic structures. Our results indicate that the LIBS can be effectively applied for liquid analysis at the sub-parts per million level with high precision using a simple drying of liquid solutions on filter paper and the use of the correct internal standard elements with the similar valence electronic structure with respect to the analytes of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of inorganic scale in pipelines used in the exploration of oil on marine platforms caused by the precipitation of metal ions is one of the main causes for reduction in the production process of the oil industry. Therefore, a simple and efficient method for the determination of scaling ions in oilfield produced water using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was developed. Filter paper was used as a cellulosic solid substrate for phase conversion of Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and Ba(II) ions in saline medium. Instrumental parameters such as laser pulse energy, gate delay and gate width were evaluated along with sample preparation parameters, such as the type of cellulosic, polymeric or glass substrate, sample volume deposited on the substrate and the time required for drying, use of internal standards and effect of salinity. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis showed a homogeneous distribution of the analytes on the microfibers of the filter paper. The results indicated that salinity significantly affects the emission intensities of the analytes as well as the relative standard deviations, which ranged from 5.2 to 8.1% and 9.2 to 12.9% for samples prepared in water and in a solution with a salinity of 30‰, respectively. The spectral data were normalized using the C emission line (C I 247.88 nm) to minimize the matrix effect of the highly saline waters. Under optimized conditions and considering data without and with normalization, it was possible to obtain limits of detection ranging from 1.0 to 11.4 mg L−1, with a linear response range from 20 to 60 mg L−1 for Mg(II), Ca(II) and Sr(II) ions and from 40 to 80 mg L−1 for Ba(II) ions in aqueous solutions. The determination of scaling ions in produced water by LIBS showed that data normalization provides results that do not significantly differ from those obtained by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP OES) at a confidence level of 95%, demonstrating that the developed method has potential application to monitor the concentration of scaling ions in produced water, helping prevent scaling in the pipelines of oil platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1955, Eugene Garfield introduced the concept of a journal impact factor as a metric for measuring the importance or influence of scholarly journals. These days a journal's fate is often tied strongly to the impact factor. It is a topic that comes up regularly and a source of concern for the journal because of the slavish focus on metrics in the publishing world and in the academic community. From our perspective, the impact factor is shown to be a poor metric for illustrating the long-term significance of papers published in Applied Spectroscopy. The five-year impact factor is a better indicator for the short-term impact of the papers published in this journal, while the cited half-life and the citing half-life both provide a better measure of the long-term impact of papers published in Applied Spectroscopy. Of the most highly cited papers published in this journal, those that describe innovative data processing techniques have been cited more than papers that describe specific applications of a given technique such as infrared (IR), Raman, or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, laser induced breakdown spectroscopic (LIBS) technique is utilized to estimate U in presence of large excess of lithium and potassium chloride (LiCl–KCl) or Cd mixtures. Colloidal solution of hydroxides of U, produced by adding NaOH was spread over filter paper and subjected to LIBS analysis after drying in air. Nearly 50 times enhancement in the LIBS signal was found as compared to normal solution. Using Er as an internal standard, emission line of U(II) at 385.957 nm shows linearity from 50 to 600 ppm. The detection limit of U was found to be 21 ppm. The presence of 5% LiCl–KCl salt or 3% Cd does not alter the calibration plot significantly. The estimations of U in synthetic samples agree well with the values measured by spectrophotometric method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry (JAAS) published in 2024 by The Royal Society of Chemistry covers a wide range of topics related to advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals, and materials. The issue includes technical notes on simplified instrumental protocols for trace Nd and Hf isotope measurements, as well as papers on various topics such as uranium measurement in a glass matrix and data fusion techniques for improving accuracy in machining processes. The journal aims to provide a platform for research on analytical atomic spectrometry and its applications in diverse fields. [Extracted from the article]

Poor spectral stability and low detection accuracy have limited the development of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for use in liquid analysis. A simple and fast new liquid pretreatment method, named geometric constraint liquid-to-solid conversion (GCLSC), was used in sample pretreatment for LIBS to simultaneously improve the spectral stability and detection accuracy. An aluminum (Al) target was used as a substrate. Boron (B) and chromium (Cr) in aqueous solution were determined using LIBS with GCLSC. The results showed that the spectral stability and detection accuracy of LIBS in liquid analysis could be improved by using GCLSC when compared with using filter paper assisted liquid-to-solid conversion (FPLSC) and unconstrained direct liquid-to-solid conversion (UDLSC). The relative standard deviation (RSD) values of B and Cr from the GCLSC method were 6.8% and 4.6%, respectively. The root-mean-square error of cross validation (RMSECV) values of B and Cr for GCLSC were 2.09 mg L−1 and 1.63 mg L−1, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the GCLSC method is promising for improving the stability and accuracy of LIBS quantitative analysis in liquid detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Current methods used in document examinations are not suitable to associate or discriminate between sources of paper and gel inks with a high degree of certainty. Nearly non-destructive, laser-based methods using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were used to improve the forensic comparisons of gel inks, ballpoint inks and document papers based on similarities in elemental composition. Some of the advantages of these laser-based methods include minimum sample consumption/destruction, high sensitivity, high selectivity and excellent discrimination between samples from different origins. Figures of merit are reported including limits of detection, precision, homogeneity at a micro-scale and linear dynamic range. The variation of the elemental composition in paper was studied within a single sheet, between pages from the same ream, between papers produced by the same plant at different time intervals and between seventeen paper sources produced by ten different plants. The results show that elemental analysis of paper by LIBS and LA-ICP-MS provides excellent discrimination (>98%) between different sources. Batches manufactured at weekly and monthly intervals in the same mill were also differentiated. The ink of more than 200 black pens was analyzed to determine the variation of the chemical composition of the ink within a single pen, between pens from the same package and between brands of gel inks and ballpoint inks. Homogeneity studies show smaller variation of elemental compositions within a single source than between different sources (i.e. brands and types). It was possible to discriminate between pen markings from different brands and between pen markings from the same brand but different model. Discrimination of ~96–99% was achieved for sets that otherwise would remain inseparable by conventional methods. The results show that elemental analysis, using either LA-ICP-MS or LIBS, provides an effective, practical and robust technique for the discrimination of document paper and gel inks with minimum mass removal (9–15μg) and minimum damage to the document''s substrate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a fiber laser marking machine was used to pretreat an Al plate, and then a Au nanoparticle (Au NP) solution was dripped on the surface of the pre-treated plate to study the effect of the laser pretreatment assisted-nanoparticle-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique on the emission and stability of the AlO molecular bands (B2P+ - X2P, Dn = 0) in the Al plasma. The results showed that laser pretreatment significantly improved the emission and stability of the AlO molecular bands. Therefore, this paper demonstrates the potential of laser pretreatment in improving analytical sensitivity in LIBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, cesiumwas added intentionally during paper manufacture for protecting the papers against forgery and counterfeiting by sorbing cesium ions (Cs+) on kaolin, used as special filler in papermaking. The sorption of cesium from aqueous solution by kaolin was studied as a function of pH, shaking time, cesium initial concentration, and mass of kaolin using batch technique. The results showed that a solution containing 10mg/L Cs+ and 250mg of kaolin at pH 6 can be used to modify the kaolin. Paper hand sheets were prepared containing various percentages of the modified kaolin. The mechanical and optical properties of paper hand sheets were studied. The prepared paper hand sheets were irradiated by gamma irradiation using different doses. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the effect of kaolin modification by cesium and gamma irradiation on paper hand sheets properties. The results indicated that modified kaolin enhanced the mechanical and optical properties of paper hand sheets. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) were also used. They provided rapid, sensitive and nondestructive techniques in differentiating between different questioned documents. This study presents a new concept in manufacturing security papers and anticounterfeiting applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of manganese (Mn) in industrial wastewater and seawater plays an important role in pollution monitoring and the investigation of geochemical and biological processes in the ocean. An approach has been introduced in this work to improve the detection sensitivity of Mn in liquids by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with a filter paper as solid substrate. The calibration curves of Mn in aqueous solutions were obtained with the detection of a Czerny-Turner spectrometer and an echelle spectrometer, respectively. The results showed that the Czerny-Turner spectrometer equipped with an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) had a more sensitive detection of Mn in aqueous solution with this approach. The limit of detection (LOD) for Mn was down to 0.11 mg/L with laser pulse energy of 90 mJ. With the same approach, the compact echelle spectrometer equipped with an ICCD was used to verify the feasibility for rapid onsite detection. The calibration curves for Mn in simulated industrial wastewater and seawater were constructed to calculate relevant LODs. The LODs of Mn were 2.78 mg/L in mixed solutions and 2.73 mg/L in seawater by calculation. Both the calibration curves and LODs were affected slightly by the matrix effect in the experiment. In order to assess the accuracy, a mixed solution including Mn, Cr, Cd, and Cu with known concentrations was determined, and good agreement between the measured and real values were achieved. It demonstrated that this approach has significant potential for rapid onsite detection of Mn and other metal elements in industrial wastewater and seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: HV transformers are taken into account as the heart of the power distribution system. The on-line monitoring based on the oil analysis offers a rapid diagnostic technique to detect the probable faults. In fact, the transformer malfunctions can be detected using UV laser spectroscopic methods. Here, a novel technique is presented based on simultaneous laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and laser induced breakdown (LIB) spectroscopy for hyper sensitive identification of the oil degradation. Oil is mainly degraded due to the internal transformer faults such as overheating and partial discharge. The spectroscopic characteristics of oil in paper substrate were obtained due to ArF laser irradiation. It was shown that the amplitude of fluorescence signal increases when the oil suffers aging and degradation. A couple of additional characteristic carbon and Hα emissions appear in the corresponding breakdown spectra too. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The document is a contents list for the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry. It includes the ISSN, cover image, and inside cover image for the current issue. The contents list also provides information on various articles and papers featured in the journal, covering topics such as atomic spectrometry updates, in situ online detection of atmospheric particulate matter, high-sensitivity analysis of trace elements in water, and other related subjects. The journal aims to connect the world with the chemical sciences and is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry. [Extracted from the article]