Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of animal fat (lard): Efficient sample preparation for onsite analysis and influence of sample temperature on the signal intensity and plasma parameters.

We report an efficient sample preparation method (freezing) for onsite fat and meat analysis via a specially designed thermoelectric cooling and temperature-controlling system. This investigation also focused on the effect of phase change on the sensitivity and reproducibility of LIBS emission signals and plasma parameters. The plasma emissions of animal fats (lard) were recorded when the sample was frozen (-2 °C), fluid (15 °C), and in a liquid state (37 °C) with a thermoelectric cooling system.

Signal Enhancement Evaluation of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of Extracted Animal Fats Using Principal Component Analysis Approach.

In this work, principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to analyze laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) signals of the extracted chicken fat, lamb fat, beef fat, and lard froze using two different freezing methods. The frozen samples were ablated using a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm, 170 mJ pulse energy, and 6 ns pulse duration to produce plasma on target surfaces. The samples were ablated using 30-60 shots of the laser beam at different spots.