Conference Agenda

This work aims to investigate the fate of ablated material during Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and assess the potential impact on elemental analysis performances on laser ablation based techniques. The competition between atomization and re-condensation at the early stage -immediately after the laser matter interaction- of Laser Induced Plasma (LIP) is discussed with some study cases, investigating the effect of background environment compressibility and the use of plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) during Nanoparticle Enhanced LIBS (NELIBS). On the other hand for exploring the evolution of the LIP material when the plasma is extinguished the particles produced during the LIBS experiment were collected over a large area, spanning several millimeters, and analyzed using High-Resolution Optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Time-resolved Laser-Induced Plasma images were utilized to interpret the particles distribution, revealing two distinct groups —nanoparticles and microparticles—after plasma extinction. Based on these observations, the effects of plasma condensation, plasma charging, and shockwave transport on the ablated material are discussed. Finally, the impact of re-deposited particles on elemental analysis during LIBS imaging is critically examined.

In this study, Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) were integrated with Lateral Flow Immunoassays (LFIA) to directly acquire plasma emission spectra from the test line of the LFIA strip for the quantification of selected biomarkers. LFIA is a rapid diagnostic tool based on capillary flow through a nitrocellulose membrane, commonly used in biomedical testing (e.g., pregnancy or COVID-19). LIBS, an optical emission spectroscopy technique based on plasma generation through laser–matter interaction, enables rapid multi-elemental analysis of the irradiated sample area. The sensitivity of LIBS can be significantly enhanced through the use of plasmonic nanostructures—typically metallic nanoparticles (NPs)—with the nanoparticle-enhanced LIBS (NELIBS). This enhancement can amplify the emission intensity by up to two orders of magnitude and enables detection of trace elements down to parts-per-billion (ppb) levels, thus expanding LIBS applicability to biological systems [1, 2]. Therefore, although LFIA is simple and rapid, it lacks quantitative precision and multiplexing capabilities. Coupling it with LIBS overcomes these limitations by analyzing metallic nanoparticles bound to detection antibodies on the test line, enabling simultaneous quantification of multiple analytes.

The main aim of this work is to study the characteristics of laser-induced plasma when antibodies and analyte are on a nitrocellulose membrane, both on the control and test line of LFIA test. This work's specific objective is to identify and quantify exosomes, a subtype of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from blood samples. EVs are characterised by the presence of tetraspanin proteins on their membrane surfaces. Two distinct antibodies were conjugated with gold and silver nanoparticles to simultaneously detect and quantify three membrane-associated tetraspanins, enabling multiplex detection on a single test line. (Funded by the European Union - Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 1 CUPB53D2302546 0001)

References

[1] M. Dell’Aglio et al, ,Spectrochim. Acta B 155 (2019) 115-122.

[2] M. Dell'Aglio et al, Talanta (2021), 235, art. no. 122741

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has emerged as a powerful tool for multielemental analysis and bioimaging in biological matrices. The applications of LIBS for high-resolution elemental mapping in plant tissues have been studied with the focus on both essential nutrients (e.g., Mg, Ca, K) and toxic heavy metals (e.g., Cd, Pb). The capacity of LIBS to perform rapid, in situ, and simultaneous detection of multiple elements with minimal sample preparation makes it perfectly suited for the study of plant-environment interactions. This work showcases LIBS as a spectroscopic technique capable of resolving elemental distributions within plant tissues under environmental stress conditions such as heavy metal exposure, and emerging treatment strategies, including plasma-treated water. By enabling detailed spatial analysis of nutrient uptake and heavy metal accumulation, LIBS provides critical insights for sustainable agriculture and environmental remediation [1,2].

Looking beyond Earth, the role of LIBS in space exploration has become intensively studied. With its ability to function under variable atmospheric conditions, LIBS is well-suited for deployment in controlled environments such as the Moon or Mars. With the increased scientific interest in space agriculture, it can assist in monitoring plant health, nutrient dynamics, and potential regolith toxicity, and contribute to the development of extraterrestrial life support systems. These applications highlight LIBS not only as a terrestrial diagnostic tool but also as a cornerstone technique in advancing space food production and planetary sustainability efforts.

Acknowledgements:

This work was carried out with the financial support of grant no. 25-18588L (Czech Science Foundation) and the grant no. FSI-S-23-8389 (Brno University of Technology).

References:

[1] L. Čechová et al., "Plasma treatment of water and wastewater as a promising approach to promote plant growth." Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 58.11 (2025): 115204.

[2] T. Brennecke et al., “Imaging the distribution of nutrient elements and the uptake of toxic metals in industrial hemp and white mustard with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy,” Spectrochim Acta Part B At Spectrosc, 205, pp. 106684 (2023)