Green-synthetized silver nanoparticles for Nanoparticle-Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NELIBS) using a mobile instrument

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part B: Atomic spectroscopy Vol. 141; pp. 53 - 58
• Main Authors: Poggialini, F., Campanella, B., Giannarelli, S., Grifoni, E., Legnaioli, S., Lorenzetti, G., Pagnotta, S., Safi, A., Palleschi, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01.03.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Analytical methods; Coffee; Competitiveness; Detection; Detectors; Environmental factors; Green chemistry; Heavy metals; Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy; Lasers; LIBS; Nanoparticle enhanced LIBS; Nanoparticles; Parameter sensitivity; Parameters; Reducing agents; Sample preparation; Silver; Silver nanoparticles; Silver nitrate; Spectroscopy; Green chemistry; Nanoparticle enhanced LIBS; LIBS; Silver nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0584-8547; 1873-3565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2018.01.005

When compared to other analytical techniques, LIBS shows relatively low precision and, generally, high Limits of Detection (LODs). Until recently, the attempts in improving the LIBS performances have been based on the use of more stable/powerful lasers, high sensitivity detectors or controlled environmental parameters. This can hinder the competitiveness of LIBS by increasing the instrumental setup cost and the difficulty of operation. Sample treatment has proved to be a viable and simple way to increase the LIBS signal; in particular, the Nanoparticle-Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NELIBS) methodology uses a deposition of metal nanoparticles on the sample to greatly increase the emission of the LIBS plasma. In this work, we used a simple, fast, “green” and low-cost method to synthetize silver nanoparticles by using coffee extract as reducing agents for a silver nitrate solution. This allowed us to obtain nanoparticles of about 25 nm in diameter. We then explored the application of such nanoparticles to the NELIBS analysis of metallic samples with a mobile LIBS instrument. By adjusting the laser parameters and optimizing the sample preparation procedure, we obtained a NELIBS signal that is 4 times the LIBS one. This showed the potential of green-synthetized nanoparticle for NELIBS applications and suggests the possibility of an in-situ application of the technique. [Display omitted] •Silver nanoparticles for NELIBS are synthetized with a low-cost “green” method.•The possibility of using NELIBS with a portable instrument is explored.•“Green” NPs yield competitive results with respect to commercially available NPs.