Recent Advances in the Investigation of Textiles Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)

Abstract

Textiles were documented via several traditional wet chemical analysis and other spectroscopic techniques, like flame-based inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and flame optical emission (OE) spectroscopy. These techniques were applied for accurate investigation studies like forensic duplication check of documents and others. Unfortunately, these methods are considered distractive methods, and unsafe in the use of aggressive chemicals. The last problems encourage scientists to seek a safe and non-destructive method like LIBS. In the spectrochemical analysis based on LIBS technique, a pulsed laser beam is focused on a target material, then a breakdown of the sample occurs, and eventually results in the formation of a transient and highly energetic plasma. In this chapter, a review describes in detail the use of LIBS as an elemental analytical technique for the determination of elements in field applications in documentary identifications, whether for forensic or archaeology applications.