Quantification of the micronutrient profile in Moringa oleifera tree leaves using calibration free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

A method of determining the micronutrient profile of a Moringa oleifera leaf comprising:

• drying the Moringa oleifera leaf at a temperature less than 100° C. to form a dried leaf;
• grinding the dried leaf to form a homogeneous mixture;
• compressing the homogeneous mixture into a pellet comprising a chromophore;
• analyzing the elemental composition of said pellets with calibration free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS);
• and
• wherein the analyzing is carried out with a CF-LIBS algorithm configured to calculate the quantity of a plurality of elements selected from the group Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, and Zn present in the pellets;
• and
• wherein the CF-LIBS is performed using a pulsed laser having a pulse width of 5 to 10 ns, a repetition rate of 15 to 25 Hz, a time delay of 290 to 350 ns, and a laser energy of 10 to 30 mJ.