title: Real time and in situ determination of lead in road sediments using a man-portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analyzer.
abstract: In situ, real time levels of lead in road sediments have been measured using a man-portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analyzer. The instrument consists of a backpack and a probe housing a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser head delivering 50 mJ per pulse at 1064 nm. Plasma emission was collected and transmitted via fiber optic to a compact cross Czerny-Turner spectrometer equipped with a linear CCD array allocated in the backpack together with a personal computer. The limit of detection (LOD) for lead and the precision measured in the laboratory were 190 microg g(-1) (calculated by the 3 sigma method) and 9% R.S.D. (relative standard deviation), respectively. During the field campaign, averaged Pb concentration in the sediments were ranging from 480 microg g(-1) to 660 microg g(-1) depending on the inspected area, i.e. the entrance, the central part and the exit of the tunnel. These results were compared with those obtained with flame-atomic absorption spectrometry (flame-AAS). The relative error, expressed as [100(LIBS result-flame AAS result)/(LIBS result)], was approximately 14%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cuñat
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Laserna
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D007854:Lead