APPLICATION OF THE LIBS TECHNIQUE IN THE DETECTION OF Ti IN INDUSTRIAL LIQUID EFFLUENTS

Abstract

In the graphic and textile industries, liquid effluents are generated from the dyes used in the different processes. In these effluents, a heavy metal of great interest, such as Titanium (Ti), is found. This element is not currently contemplated in the environmental legal framework in Argentina, and there are no known diagnostic techniques that are responsible for its measurement. This work studied the feasibility of applying the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for detecting Ti in industrial effluents. In the assembly of samples, a possible stabilization method was established for their final disposal, considering the encapsulation in cement for construction. Based on this, four samples were assembled with Portland cement with the addition of ashes, obtained from subjecting the effluents of a graphic industry to a series of physicochemical processes. For a possible quantification process by LIBS, the thin plasma model was proposed, which established the best post-breakdown and integration times for registering the 521.04 nm line of Ti I. As the study’s final results, a post-breakdown time was 35 µs and an integration time of 300 ns. With this, it is intended to optimize the measurement parameters for the analysis and calculation of concentrations, thus promoting the use of the LIBS technique as feasible for this type of measurement.