Real-World AnalysisReal-World Stories
Explore insights, applications, and stories from the field using handheld XRF, LIBS, VisNIR, and portable benchtop analyzers across scrap recycling, mining, geochemistry, forensics, and more.
Independent Study: Quantitative Handheld LIBS Helps Reveal the Story Behind Ancient Artifacts
Researchers studying artifacts from the Archaeological Park of Tindari in Sicily used a SciAps Z-903 handheld LIBS analyzer to move beyond simply identifying elements. They developed a chemometrics-assisted calibration capable of quantitatively determining major, minor, and trace elements in silica-based materials.
From Star Trek's Tricorder to the NICU: Broadband Spectroscopy Brings Science Fiction One Step Closer to Reality
Could broadband spectroscopy help transform the early detection of life-threatening diseases? Researchers recently used the ASD LabSpec 4 broadband spectrometer to identify the optical signatures of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a devastating intestinal disease affecting premature infants. By combining high-resolution spectral data with machine learning, the team demonstrated a promising non-invasive approach that could one day lead to faster bedside screening.
Handheld XRF Analysis Reveals Ancient Ironmaking Technology in China's Benxi Region
Researchers publishing in Processes investigated the ironmaking technologies used in the Benxi region of China during the Ming Dynasty, revealing a sophisticated metallurgical process chain that flourished more than 600 years ago. To preserve valuable cultural artifacts, scientists employed the SciAps X-200 handheld XRF analyzer to perform non-destructive elemental analysis on unearthed iron agricultural tools and other historical materials.
Recent Advances in the Compositional and Mapping Analysis of Iron Meteorites Using Handheld LIBS
The results of this study have shown that the hLIBS analyses of the external surface of iron meteorites allows the rough identification of iron meteorites in conditions where internal, flat, or polished surfaces are unavailable, as may occur during material discovery in the field.
SciAps HH LIBS analyzer used to authenticate cheese and coffee beans
Independent Study: SciAps HH LIBS used in food authentication study in conjunction with Raman spectroscopy. The outcomes of the study indicate that the Hy-R-LIBS system, coupled with its chemometric strategies, might be employed for food authentication with promising results.
Technical Note: Handheld LIBS Provides a Fast and Easy Method to Trace Gold
A new study published as a Technical Note in the Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry (JAAS) demonstrates LIBS as a fast and easy method to trace gold provenance, a previously difficult but necessary task to ensure a responsible supply chain from deposit to consumer.
LIBS as an Emerging Analytical Tool for Mineral Exploration
A just-released publication in Minerals, in special issue Novel Methods and Applications for Mineral Exploration, the authors demonstrate how LIBS is ideally suited for field exploration programs that would benefit from rapid chemical analysis under ambient environmental conditions.
Analysis of Rare Earth Elements in Uranium Using Handheld Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
In Applied Spectroscopy, Ben Manard and his Los Alamos National Laboratory colleagues use SciAps HH LIBS to quantify levels of REE in a uranium oxide matrix. Los Alamos personnel need a method to perform rapid chemical analysis in a nuclear facility.