Detection of heavy metal containment of soil pollution due to waste of paper industry using Nd:YAG laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Abstract

Detection of heavy metal containment of soil pollution has been made by using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). A pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 8 ns, 200 mJ) was focused on to a soil sample, which is prepared in the form of pellet, at atmospheric pressure. Emission spectra taken from the waste-contaminated soil and uncontaminated soil were obtained. Plasma emissions are then detected using a multichannel analyzer (OMA) to obtain the emission line spectrum that represents the content of atoms and molecules in the target material. The spectrum is recorded and compared with the spectrum of reference standards of atoms, ions and molecules (National Institute of Standards and Technology/NIST) so that the atomic and molecular content in the sample can be known. From the results of the study it was found that there are elements of heavy metals in the form of Fe, Cd, and Mg in polluted soils.