Atomic Spectroscopy

Atomic spectroscopy has quietly moved past splitting light and counting ions toward instruments that track a single nanoparticle, fuse a laser pulse with an isotope-ratio mass spectrometer, and correct their own interferences with artificial intelligence in real time. The result is a new class of ICP-MS, LIBS, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) platforms that are turning what used to be a benchtop-only science into field-ready, self-optimizing analytical intelligence.

A study using fiber laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (FL-LIBS) to evaluate how pulse width and repetition rate affect the quantitative analysis of elements in aluminum alloys, reporting improved detection sensitivity and limit of detection at high repetition rate.

Environmental analysis is a growing area of study, and single-particle inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) is one of the techniques contributing to this growth.

The following articles are the most accessed digital object identifier (DOI) manuscripts for Spectroscopy and LCGC International during the month of July 2026. Nine articles are ranked here by DOI page views; a tenth entry in the July report (135 views) was recorded against the bare journal-level DOI rather than an individual article and is therefore not attributable to a single manuscript.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has moved from the laboratory to the field, offering rapid, in situ elemental analysis of minerals, rocks, soils, and meteorites with minimal sample preparation. This practical tutorial covers LIBS instrumentation, field sampling best practices, quantification methods, common pitfalls, and emerging applications in geoscience.

Spectrometers that once filled an entire lab bench now fit in a coat pocket, and they are quietly reshaping how fentanyl gets identified on a roadside, how counterfeit cashmere gets caught on a loading dock, and how a 500-year-old painting gets authenticated without ever leaving the wall. This review tracks five years of coverage from Spectroscopy alongside the broader literature to show how handheld Raman, FT-IR, NIR, and XRF instruments moved from laboratory novelty to field necessity.

A plain-language glossary of 40 spectroscopic and elemental analytical methods—FTIR, Raman, ICP-MS, XRF, atomic absorption, and more—with verified references for lab professionals, students, and instrument buyers.

Ramon M. Barnes, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at UMass Amherst and a pioneering figure in ICP spectrochemistry, has died at 86. He founded the Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry and edited the ICP Information Newsletter for decades.

The Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry goes back to Europe next year. We preview the conference here.

Atomic spectroscopy is making strides in fields such as forensics and environmental analysis. This Q&A explores how atomic spectroscopy-based techniques are being used and what the future looks like for these techniques.

Electrothermal vaporization (ETV) sample introduction into ICP-OES enables direct analysis of solids, liquids and slurries with minimal sample prep, offering results comparable to ICP-MS after digestion in 80-100 seconds per sample.

An upcoming poster session at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2026 Meeting will explore how spectroscopy can be used to identify the origin of lithium in oilfield wastewater.

A rule proposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would give political appointees final authority over discretionary grant decisions ahead of peer reviewers, allow agencies to terminate active grants without a formal right of appeal, and restrict international collaboration and publication funding across federal science agencies. For the optical, molecular, vibrational, and atomic spectroscopy community, the proposal could affect the grants, journal support, and student and postdoctoral positions that sustain the field.

This peer-reviewed proof-of-concept study demonstrates that electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry combined with multivariate analysis can accurately classify the sex of individuals from both dyed and undyed hair samples, highlighting its potential as a green, forensic tool for human sex determination.

Spectroscopy is playing a key role in analyzing materials in lithium-ion batteries.

Spectroscopy’s “What’s Nu” newsletter in May highlights the development of lasers in spectroscopy, compensating for repack variation in near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and validity by design.

How is spectroscopy being used to detect methane and contribute to sustainability missions?

This article presents a strategic six-stage product development roadmap for atomic spectroscopy instruments, integrating Strategic Goal Setting with RISE prioritization, Kano analysis, and Three Horizons innovation. Emphasis is placed on beta validation to ensure inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry( ICP-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) systems achieve technical excellence, regulatory compliance, market success, and long-term leadership in trace elemental analysis.

This first installment of Research Profiles in Spectroscopy Series features The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) Petrochronology Research Group and its advances in laser ablation ICP-MS, isotope geochemistry, and petrochronology. Led by John Cottle, Andrew Kylander-Clark, and Morgan Adamson, the group has developed innovative spectroscopic methods that combine high-resolution isotopic dating with trace-element analysis to better understand petrochronology processes, including mountain building, crustal evolution, and complex geological processes.

This new feature in Spectroscopy introduces a structured, application-focused series that curates and examines the most influential research papers in molecular and atomic spectroscopy. Each installment presents a focused “Top 10” collection of seminal publications within a specific analytical domain, spanning techniques such as ultraviolet–visible, infrared, Raman, near-infrared, and atomic spectroscopy. Across biomedical, biopharmaceutical, environmental, and forensic applications, the selected papers illustrate how spectroscopic methods are applied to real-world analytical challenges. Emphasis is placed on the integration of spectral data with chemometric approaches to enable robust calibration, accurate prediction, and meaningful interpretation. Together, these curated collections provide practitioners with a concise, application-oriented perspective on impactful developments in spectroscopy. This article brings together the first nine “Top 10” collections in the series, offering a cross-disciplinary view of influential work shaping the field.

How can micro-particle induced X-ray emission (µ-PIXE) and micro-ion beam induced luminescence (µ-IBIL) spectroscopy improve conservation practices?

What does the aluminosilicate and carbonate particles on bitumen-coated bandages of mummies tell us about the burial environment?

Abstract submissions are open through April 15 as conference expands scope to include molecular methods.

This article is derived from an invited talk given at the Pittcon Conference and Expo in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, March 9, exploring how generative artificial intelligence may transform the daily practice of analytical chemistry. It was presented in The James L. Waters Symposium.

The Pittcon (Pittsburgh) Conference and Expo in San Antonio featured a forward-looking symposium exploring how generative artificial intelligence (AI) may transform the daily practice of analytical chemistry. The James L. Waters Symposium, “Generative AI in the Analytical Chemist’s Toolbox for Chemical Measurements”, took place on Monday, March 9, 2026 (2:30–4:40 p.m.) in Room 221A. The session was presided over by Daniel W. Armstrong of The University of Texas at Arlington, who introduced the topic by emphasizing the rapidly expanding knowledge base required of modern analytical chemists. In addition to chemistry, today’s analytical scientist must command elements of physics, advanced mathematics, data science, and, increasingly, AI. The symposium focused on the practical integration of generative AI tools into chemical measurement science. Speakers discussed how AI can assist analytical chemists with tasks such as algorithm generation, signal processing, literature synthesis, and data interpretation. Importantly, the session emphasized responsible implementation, highlighting the need for rigorous validation, high-quality data sets, and integration into existing laboratory workflows.