Rapid determination of lead (Pb) in the soil–plant system by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS): case study of Pb-pollution from perovskite solar cells

With the widespread usage of lead (Pb)-containing perovskite solar cells (PSCs), it is critical to monitor Pb pollution from PSCs in the environment. Among different analytical techniques, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has demonstrated good performance in the fast quantification of many elements in solid samples, without using toxic and expensive chemical reagents. Therefore, LIBS offers significant potential for detecting and quantifying Pb in the environment. In this study, a Pb migration model in the PSCs-soil- Houttuynia plants system was assessed based on the LIBS data. The Pb transfer rates and the Pb uptake coefficients were calculated to evaluate Pb migration from PSCs to plants. The results showed that the R 2 of quantitative results were all greater than 0.98, with the root-mean-square error of cross-validation ( RMSECV ) being less than 1.53 wt.%. Furthermore, above 49% Pb from PSCs was swiftly diffused into soil under watering conditions, while Houttuynia plants absorbed over 10% Pb from polluted soil. This study revealed that Pb leakage from PSCs should not be underestimated and that LIBS is a viable and fast analytical method for monitoring Pb in the environment.