ADVANCEMENTS IN SOIL NUTRIENT AND CONTAMINANT DETECTION USING LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY

Abstract

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has emerged as a fast, versatile, and efficient analytical technique with increasing applications in soil analysis, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in LIBS for soil characterization, emphasizing its role in detecting and quantifying essential nutrients and contaminants. Key developments focus on addressing limitations such as matrix effects, moisture content, and particle size variability, with optimized techniques including spatial confinement, addition of conductive materials, and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) enhancing detection limits and analytical precision. Integration of machine learning, deep learning, and chemometric approaches has further improved predictive modeling, enabling robust analysis across diverse soil matrices. Additionally, portable and handheld LIBS systems facilitate real-time, in-field soil monitoring. Standardization efforts using certified reference materials and interlaboratory protocols are enhancing reproducibility and broader scientific acceptance. Collectively, these innovations establish LIBS as a powerful tool for precise soil nutrient management, contaminant detection, and environmentally sustainable agriculture.