Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS): a versatile tool for monitoring heavy metal aerosols

Abstract Particulate heavy metals can have severe toxic and carcinogenic effects when inhaled in higher concentrations. Therefore, it is desirable to establish versatile instruments for a complete and rapid monitoring of particulate emissions of anthropogenic origin to assess hazard levels, evaluate control systems, or provide instantaneous feedback for process control. The aim of this work is to develop a mobile system for a direct analysis of automatically acquired aerosol filter samples. Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) is employed to provide quasi-on-line information on the elemental composition of the deposited aerosols. The system consists of a 19″-rack with a laser, respectively, spectrometer/detector module connected to a miniaturized sensor head through fibre optics, allowing a maximum flexibility of the set-up. Besides the analytical merits of the LIPS technique, preliminary results from a first measurement campaign at a municipal waste incineration facility are addressed. An automated in-line filter sampling interface for the LIPS apparatus was tested for the first time.

[1]  P. Jurs,et al.  Computer-Enhanced Analytical Spectroscopy , 1988 .

[2]  Carlo Vandecasteele,et al.  Modern Methods for Trace Element Determination , 1993 .

[3]  L. J. Radziemski,et al.  Review of Selected Analytical Applications of Laser Plasmas and Laser Ablation, 1987-1994 , 1994 .

[4]  J. Fergusson.  The Heavy Elements: Chemistry, Environmental Impact and Health Effects , 1990 .

[5]  Freddy C. Adams,et al.  Laser ionization mass analysis , 1993 .

[6]  N. Reng,et al.  Transmission properties of all-silica fibres for high-power Nd:YAG lasers , 1993 .

[7]  B. Magyar,et al.  Determination of metals in airborne particles by electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after accumulation by electrostatic precipitation , 1997 .

[8]  P. Woskov,et al.  Microwave plasma continuous emissions monitor for trace metals , 1996 .

[9]  Hans-Ulrich Hartenstein,et al.  Overview of municipal waste incineration industry in west Europe (based on the German experience) , 1996 .

[10]  Joseph Sneddon,et al.  Applications of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectrometry , 1997 .

[11]  O. I. Matveev,et al.  Element-specific determination of chlorine in gases by Laser-Induced-Breakdown-Spectroscopy (LIBS) , 1996, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[12]  D. W. Magnuson,et al.  Pulsed laser damage to optical fibers. , 1985, Applied optics.

[13]  L. Moenke-Blankenburg.  Laser micro analysis , 1986 .

[14]  Leon J. Radziemski,et al.  Lasers-Induced Plasmas and Applications , 1989 .

[15]  C. Lüdke,et al.  Comparative studies on metal determination in airborne particulates by LA-ICP-MS and furnace atomization non-thermal excitation spectrometry , 1994 .

[16]  R. Niessner,et al.  On-line and in-situ detection of lead aerosols by plasma-spectroscopy and laser-excited atomic fluorescence spectroscopy , 1997 .

[17]  Mark B. Bernick,et al.  Application of field-portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers for field-screening air monitoring filters for metals , 1995 .

[18]  J. Sneddon.  Direct and near real-time determination of metals in the atmosphere by atomic spectroscopic techniques , 1988 .

[19]  C. Lüdke,et al.  Studies on the determination of the metal content of airborne particulates by furnace atomization non-thermal excitation spectrometry , 1994 .

[20]  Curtis Anderson,et al.  A Continuous Emissions Monitor for Hazardous Air Pollutant Metals , 1997 .

[21]  H. Beutler.  The Theory of the Concave Grating , 1945 .