High-sensitivity determination of cadmium and lead in rice using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Stability and sensitivity of toxic elements determination is still unsatisfactory in agricultural product using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). A simple and low cost sample pretreatment method named solid–liquid-solid transformation method was proposed in this work. The target analytes of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) from rice samples were prepared through ultrasound assisted extraction in hydrochloric acid solution. The solution was dropped on the glass slide after centrifuging process and was further dried on a heater. Finally, the glass slide contained the analytes was carried out for LIBS determination. Compare with conventional pellet method, the spectral intensity of Cd and Pb element were enhanced significantly using LIBS. The limits of detection were 2.8 and 43.7 μg/kg, respectively. The limits of quantification were 9.3 and 145.7 μg/kg, respectively. The results demonstrated that LIBS coupled with ultrasound assisted extraction should be a promising tool to detect toxic elements in rice.