Spectrochemical analysis of dates available in Pakistan using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LA-TOF-MS)

Abstract

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) complemented with laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (LA-TOF-MS) has been utilized for the spectrochemical analysis of samples of different dates available in Pakistan. The plasma was generated by a focused Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser (532 nm), while a set of four spectrometers were used to capture the optical spectra. For the quantitative analyses of the laser produce plasma, optically thin and local thermodynamic equilibrium conditions were validated. The optical emission spectra of the date samples detected Fe, Ca, Mg, K and Na nutritional elements and Ba, Ti, Sr, Al, Li and Si toxic elements. Same date samples were also quantitatively analysed using an LA-TOF-MS. The results obtained from the LA-TOF-MS and calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) techniques showed an excellent agreement, which proves that both techniques are reliable for the multi-elemental analysis of any date sample.