Utilization of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy to Investigate the Metals in Dairy Products Waste Water

Background: Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an atomic emission-type spectroscopy that can analyze any sample successfully and can be applied to gas, liquid, and solid samples. It can provide nonintrusive, qualitative and quantitative measurement of elements in various test environments.

Due to rapid industrial growth, environmental pollution has increased tremendously over the years, especially with heavy metals. These metals, are toxic even at low concentrations, may find their way into the human body via inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. The analysis of wastewater for trace and heavy metal contamination is an important step in ensuring human and environmental health.

Aim: In this work Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was used to investigate the heavy metals in industrial water collected from dairy products processing plants.

Experimental: This study was designed to use LIBS technique to analyze the emission spectral lines collected from the samples plasma and to make use of this technique to determine the existence of heavy elements in waste water of dairy products.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of laser system, institute of laser in Sudan university of Science and Technology – Republic of the Sudan.

Methodology: Three water samples were irradiated by Q-switched Nd: YAG laser to produce its plasma. The emission spectra of the plasma were collected via optical fiber and analyzed by Ocean Optics 4000+ spectrometer, and the recorded spectra of the samples were analyzed using NIST data.

Samples: Three waste water samples, collected from dairy product plants, were used as study samples.

Results: The analysis of the spectra showed considerable amounts of Na, Co, Cu, Fe, Cs, Hg, Pr, Cr, Ti elements in addition to Co+1 , Cu+1, Cs+1 and Fe+1 ions.

Conclusions: The analysis of the three industrial water samples led to efficient detection of different heavy metals using LIBS technique.