Quantitative Detection of the Raw Ore Turquoise Based on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Technology

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy
• Materials Science

Background:

• Turquoise is a crucial component in Tibetan medicines, directly impacting their efficacy.
• Traditional analysis methods struggle with matrix effects in raw Tibetan medicine materials.
• Modernization and standardization of Tibetan medicines require advanced quality control techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for detecting turquoise content in raw Tibetan medicine materials.
• To address limitations of traditional methods by employing pattern recognition techniques.
• To establish a reliable method for estimating turquoise concentration.

Main Methods:

• Application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) on 126 raw ore samples from 42 regions.
• Development of a model using intensities of four characteristic Al and Cu spectral lines.
• Introduction of the correlation coefficient (ρ) from pattern recognition as an evaluation index.
• Utilizing self-developed software for data analysis and turquoise content estimation.

Main Results:

• Successful application of LIBS for turquoise detection in Tibetan medicine raw materials.
• Estimation of turquoise content with an error margin of less than 10%.
• Demonstration of the model's effectiveness in overcoming matrix effects.

Conclusions:

• LIBS, combined with pattern recognition, provides an accurate and efficient method for analyzing turquoise content.
• The developed methodology supports the modernization and standardization of Tibetan medicines.
• The technical approach is adaptable for analyzing other mineral compositions in various applications.