Background removal in soil analysis using laser- induced breakdown spectroscopy combined with standard addition...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Matrix effects in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) significantly impact elemental concentration prediction accuracy, particularly for soil samples.
• Accurate elemental analysis of soil is vital for environmental monitoring and remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a novel standard addition method (SAM) combined with wavelet transform for background removal to mitigate matrix effects in LIBS analysis of soil samples.
• To enhance the prediction accuracy of elemental concentrations, specifically lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), in soil.

Main Methods:

• Utilized five certified reference soil samples with varying lead (Pb) concentrations (110–1141 ppm).
• Applied a standard addition method (SAM) incorporating background removal via wavelet transform algorithm.
• Compared results with the conventional calibration method.

Main Results:

• The conventional calibration method yielded a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) over 303 ppm for Pb.
• The proposed SAM with wavelet transform background removal reduced the RMSEP to 25.7 ppm for Pb.
• The method demonstrated potential for improving the predicted accuracy of other elements, such as Cadmium (Cd).

Conclusions:

• The standard addition method combined with wavelet transform background removal effectively reduces matrix effects in LIBS analysis of soil.
• This approach significantly enhances the accuracy of elemental concentration prediction in soil samples.
• The developed method offers a robust solution for more reliable elemental analysis in environmental applications.