فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a powerful tool for elemental characterization of complex materials, including biomedical samples like gallbladder stones. In this study, single-pulse LIBS was used to analyse the elemental composition of gallstones collected from women in Hillah City, complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological insights. A passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 10 ns pulse duration) generated plasma, and a high-resolution CCD spectrometer captured emitted spectra in the 200–630 nm range. Major elements identified include calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P), along with trace elements such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and chlorine (Cl). Calcium predominantly because this is the major component of calcium stones besides the trace metals that may signify metabolic or environmental influence. SEM exposed structural variation as per elemental compositions: Crystals identified calcium-based stones, and smooth surface identified homogenous surface cholesterol-based stones. 1064 nm laser ablation was able to provide effective ablation through reduced water absorption and, as a result, improved spectral quality. This finding provides a new twist to the classification of gallstones that may be in harmony with potential individualized treatment to prevent reoccurrence. The comparison demonstrates the potential of LIBS and SEM used in a complementary study to discuss the elemental and morphological characteristics of gallstones. This potential may still be extended even further to larger collections of data to the direction of cholelithiasis diagnosis and treatment.