Variational study of the constituents of cholesterol stones by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

The major and minor constituents of cholesterol gallstones were investigated by Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The elements detected in the center and in the shell part were calcium (Ca), carbon (C), copper (Cu), hydrogen (H), magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (N), sodium (Na), oxygen (O) and potassium (K), but Cu was absent from the surface of the cholesterol gallstones. Our experimental results revealed that calcium was a major constituent of cholesterol gallstones. Our results also showed that the concentration of Ca, Cu and Mg were large in the center in comparison with the shell. Laser-induced breakdown (LIB) spectra of both portions of the surface (colored part and discolored part) of the cholesterol gallstones were recorded. The concentrations of sodium and potassium were higher in the non-pigmented (colored) part than in the pigmented part (discolored/pigment), which showed that the deficiency of sodium and potassium was playing a key role in the formation of discoloration at the different locations on the outer surfaces of the cholesterol gallstones. Thus, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a suitable technique for the analysis of cholesterol gallstones without any sample preparation.