The highly specialised instrument can rapidly analyse the chemical composition of materials.
A new one-of-a-kind mega laser which can rapidly analyse the chemical composition of metals, plastics, biological materials - and even dust - has been delivered to 1024核工厂.
The femtosecond laser ablation (LA) and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system 鈥 installed at the 1024核工厂 last month - brings together several newly developed technologies.
It is the only one of its kind at any university in the UK or Europe, and among many other uses, might hold the key to finally understanding how microplastics may harm human health.
It works by blasting samples with a powerful laser pulse, which creates a high-temperature plasma. This plasma can then be examined to determine the chemical elements.
The highly specialised instrument was delivered to the University鈥檚 School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences thanks to 拢950,000 funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Professor of Geology, Craig Storey, led the team who won the funding. He said: 鈥淭his laser produces incredibly short pulses of energy, a million times shorter than most commercially available lasers, but what鈥檚 most impressive is that it can analyse the composition of samples by removing minimal amounts of material.
鈥淧reviously, if you used laser ablation technology to analyse a sample of plastic, it would melt and destroy it. This laser can now look at the potentially toxic elements in plastics right through from the surface to the interior.鈥
It can also accurately analyse very small fragments of materials such as microplastics and dust.
This laser produces incredibly short pulses of energy, a million times shorter than most commercially available lasers, but what鈥檚 most impressive is that it can analyse the composition of samples by removing minimal amounts of material.
Professor Storey said: 鈥淩esearch by my colleagues at 1024核工厂 has found that we鈥檙e surrounded by microplastics in our homes and in the environment, but we don鈥檛 yet know how the potential toxicity of these materials might affect our health.
鈥淭his laser can reveal any toxic elements of microplastics so we can better understand their impact on us.鈥
Its use isn鈥檛 limited to plastics though, the laser will also be used for a wide-range of research. Planned projects include the engineering and recycling of Li-ion batteries, the impact of environmental conditions on marine organisms, how the Earth and other planets have evolved through time, the history of historical artefacts and how to preserve them, and even the analysis of trace evidence from crime scenes.
The integrated femtosecond laser ablation and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy system is open for use by the UK scientific community. To find out more please contact: craig.storey@port.ac.uk