Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy in Biological Samples: A Review of Experiments with Soft Tissues

Abstract

This article reviews the advances made during the past two decades in the application of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) to biological samples, specifically soft tissues (both animal and human). The first sections include a historical overview and a summary of the biomedical relevance of analyzing metals in these tissues. Next, statistical methods employed in some works are presented, along with a detailed description of the innovations developed in experimental systems. The remainder of the review reports the approaches used in the experiments, focusing on a description of the advances that have enabled the successful application of LIBS to soft tissues. The results are evaluated, and the major challenges remaining for this type of sample are discussed. The aim of this review is to provide useful information that encourages future research on LIBS for biological samples.