Fast analysis of metal components in coal dust using spark emission spectroscopy

In this study, we utilized spark emission spectroscopy to develop a fast analysis technique for identifying the concentration of metal components in airborne coal dust. Quantitative measurements of Al, Si, Fe, Ca, and Ti elements in lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite were conducted. Calibration models were built under both variable concentration and fixed concentration conditions. The R² values of all calibration curves were approximately 0.90. Except for Si in lignite, the limits of detection (LODs) of other measured elements were within 4 μg m⁻³, with a sampling time of 10 minutes. Comparative analysis with the reference method revealed normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) concentrations of 9.1%, 9.8%, 10.7%, 24%, and 8.2% for various elements in lignite. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to categorize coal samples, confirming the method's capability to distinguish coal dust types. This shows the effectiveness of spark emission spectroscopy in coal dust composition analysis, demonstrating high sensitivity and efficiency.