Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

Quantitative Analysis of Shilajit using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma/Optical Emission Spectroscopy

Rehan I, Muhammad R, Rehan K, Karim K and Sultana S

Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was used for the quantitative study of Shilajit samples using first harmonic (1064 nm) of a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser by an appropriate detection system. The samples were chosen from the northern Himalayan mountainous range at locations namely Skardu, Gilgit, Chilas, Chitral, and Muzaffarabad. The relative concentrations of detected species were measured via integrated intensity of the strongest line of an element and via Calibration-Free CF-LIBS approach. Our findings recommend the altitudinal variations in Physico-chemical properties of Shilajit. Different functional groups were identified using Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR)-Spectroscopy. The results of LIBS were compared to results of Inductively Coupled Plasma/Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP/OES) with fine harmony.