Determination of elemental composition of powdered materials is frequent analytical task. Direct analysis is often performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, traces are determined by neutron activation analysis or emission spectrography/spectrometry w ith arc excitation. The samples are often brought into solutions and analysed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) with atomic emission spectrometry (AES) or mass spectrometry (MS). However, decomposition of some materials is difficult or incomplete, r esidual solutions represent environmentally troublesome waste, and moreover, samples are diluted and limits of detection deteriorate. One of possibilities for direct analysis of solids is the sampling of materials by laser ablation (LA) into ICP source. So far, mostly compact or powdered samples fused with a flux were introduced into ICP by LA and little was reported on LA of pressed pellets. The aim of this project is to study interactions of laser radiation with pressed powdered materials and to inves

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