LAUSR

Returning biochar to farmland has become one of the nationally promoted technologies for soil remediation and improvement in China. Rapid detection of heavy metals in biochar derived from varied materials can provide a guarantee for contaminated soil, avoiding secondary pollution. This work aims first to apply laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the quantitative detection of Cr in biochar. Learning from the principles of traditional matrix effect correction methods, calibration samples were divided into 1–3 classifications by an unsupervised hierarchical clustering method based on the main elemental LIBS data in biochar. The prediction samples were then divided into diverse classifications of calibration samples by a supervised K-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm. By comparing the effects of multiple partial least squares regression (PLSR) models, the results show that larger numbered classifications have a lower averaged relative standard deviations of cross-validation (ARSDCV) value, signifying a better calibration performance. Therefore, the 3 classification regression model was employed in this study, which had a better prediction performance with a lower averaged relative standard deviations of prediction (ARSDP) value of 8.13%, in comparison with our previous research and related literature results. The LIBS technology combined with matrix effect classification regression model can weaken the influence of the complex matrix effect of biochar and achieve accurate quantification of contaminated metal Cr in biochar.