Work

Compositional Analysis of South Punjab Soil Using Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) for Agricultural and Environmental Applications

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This study demonstrates the application of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for the elemental analysis of agricultural soils in South Punjab, Pakistan. Soil degradation due to intensive farming, imbalanced fertilizer use, and declining organic matter has reduced crop productivity in the region. To address this, rapid and accurate soil diagnostics are essential. LIBS, coupled with Calibration-Free analysis (CF-LIBS), was employed to quantitatively determine the concentrations of major and trace elements—including calcium, silicon, iron, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, potassium, sodium, lithium, and barium—without requiring chemical standards. Plasma characterization was performed using the Boltzmann plot method, yielding temperatures between 7750 and 9000 K, and electron number densities were derived from Stark-broadened spectral profiles. The results reveal significant spatial variability in elemental composition, reflecting differences in land use and irrigation sources. This work confirms LIBS as a versatile, efficient, and reliable tool for soil health assessment, offering a practical solution for monitoring soil nutrients and supporting sustainable agricultural management in resource-limited settings.

Source: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Analyses

DOI: 10.3390/jeta4020017

Authors: Misbah Aslam, Michal Pawlak, Sidra Aslam

Institutions: Quaid-i-Azam University, Abdus Salam Centre for Physics, Nicolaus Copernicus University, University of the Punjab

Language: English

Topic: Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma

Subfield: Mechanics of Materials

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,207