Abstract
The paper discusses the possibility of using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a method for the diagnosis of human nail onychomycosis. LIBS spectra obtained with excitation of plasma on the surface of healthy and onychomycotic nails by pulses of Q switched Yb, Er: Glass laser radiation with a wavelength of 1540 nm were compared for the first time. The spectrum of onychomycotic nail contained unique lines additional to characteristic spectral lines of healthy nails. These additional lines disappeared after 90 days of sample storage in air at room temperature 20 ± 3 °C.
Highlights
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a technology for fast remote chemical analysis based on the excitation of plasma on the surface of a sample by a short laser pulse and the study of its spectral composition
The main goal of this work was to study the possibility of using the radiation of a compact Q-switched Yb, Er: Glass laser (λ = 1540 nm) for LIBS detection of the nail region affected by onychomycosis
It should be noted that the LIBS spectra of healthy nails of all volunteers did not have any significant differences between themselves
Summary
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a technology for fast remote chemical analysis based on the excitation of plasma on the surface of a sample by a short laser pulse and the study of its spectral composition. LIBS technology is applicable to many samples, including metals, semiconductors, glasses, biological tissues, and others. The accuracy of LIBS allows one to quantitatively characterize the elemental composition with high spatial and temporal resolution, as well as detect substances at their relatively low concentration – from 2 ppm [1, 2]. LIBS analysis compares favorably with many other analysis technologies: it is sensitive to elements with a low atomic number, unlike, for example, X-ray Fluorescence analysis, and it is sensitive to trace concentrations of materials, unlike, for example, Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis [3]. Of particular interest is the spectral region from 180 to 850 nm, which includes the spectral lines of most of the known elements [4]
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