Determination of Metal Elements in Wine Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Food Science

Background:

• Elemental analysis of wine is crucial for quality control and authenticity.
• Direct elemental analysis of liquid wine using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is challenging due to inefficient ablation.
• A novel sample preparation method is needed to enable sensitive elemental analysis of wine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a sensitive method for elemental analysis of wine using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).
• To establish a rapid, reagent-free sample preparation technique for wine analysis.
• To assess the method's performance, including figures of merit and matrix effects, for various wine types.

Main Methods:

• Developed a thin-layer residue preparation method by heating 2 mL of wine on a metallic target.
• Utilized laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for elemental analysis of the prepared wine residue.
• Prepared spiked wine samples with certified standards of Titanium (Ti) and Iron (Fe) for calibration and validation.

Main Results:

• Successfully detected tens of major, minor, and trace elements (e.g., Na, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Pb) in commercial wines.
• Established calibration graphs with high coefficients of determination (R²).
• Quantified figures of merit, including limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), and investigated matrix effects between different wine types.

Conclusions:

• The developed LIBS method with thin-layer residue preparation is sensitive and efficient for elemental analysis of wine.
• The method requires minimal sample volume (2 mL) and preparation time (30 min) without reagents.
• This approach offers a promising tool for routine elemental profiling of wines, aiding in quality assessment and geographical origin determination.