Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge Spectroscopy GELP’s experience in Glow Discharges opened the door to the design, characterization and study of the analytical potential of Atmospheric-Pressure Glow Discharges (APGD). In the last years, this kind of glow discharges have revolutionized the ionization sources available in the market. APGD’s are non-expensive, fast and easy-to-use sources due to the low need for sample preparation and the lack of vacuum systems to sustain the discharge. Latest works at GELP in this area have been focused on the study of the species generated through several sources designed in the group, having demonstrated the usefulness of…

Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry LA-ICP-MS analyses have a recent impact in the development of paleoclimate investigations because of the high accurate geochemical data provided, with spatial resolutions close to 10 mm. This high accurate data allows paleoclimate investigators to characterize seasonal climate variability of the past, which have no precedents before this analytical method. This method with so high spatial resolved data, also allows to determinate extremely climate events, a very important discipline of climate studies in the recent fast climate change scenario. This information is of great importance for the reproduction of the future climate scenarios…

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy One of the plasma generation procedures handled by the research group is the use of high-intensity pulsed lasers. The LIBS technique, acronym for Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, is based on the analysis of laser-generated plasmas and its origin dates back to the decade of the 1960s, in parallel with the appearance of the first lasers. LIBS is used for the detection and quantification of chemical elements in all types of samples, regardless of their state of aggregation, since its application is common either on solid, liquid and gaseous samples. LIBS represents a versatile technique that implies a low-cost…