Recent results are presented for the application of laser spark emission spectroscopy in the determination of elemental composition of particles in the combustion zone of a pulverized coal flame. The technique is particularly sensitive to metallic elements, and may be very useful in the study of mineral matter transformations during combustion.
High energy laser pulses were used to form plasmas on single coal particles, and time-resolved spectra of the optical emission was collected using a linear diode array detector. The various transitions were assigned, and qualitative trends in elemental composition for well-characterized coals were observed to be in agreement with other analytical results. Semi-quantitative elemental concentrations were calculated and are presented.