Confocal Raman Microspectrometry Imaging Combined with Chemometric Methods for Environmental Applications

Due to industrial airborne pollution, Pb-containing particles can be deposited at the surface of leaves of terrestrial plants and then penetrate by crossing the leaf cuticle. In this application note, Raman microimaging using UV laser excitation (266 nm) was applied to identify spatially-resolved speciation of lead in lettuce exposed for 43 days to atmospheric Pb smelter-originated fallouts. Other environmental applications of confocal raman microspectrometry imaging combined with chemometric methods are discussed.