Abstract: A portable laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system has a laser module, a spectrometer connected to the laser module, and an analysis sub-system connected to the spectrometer, the analysis sub-system having: a data module having at least one set of reference data for a particular material; a processor configured to access data from the spectrometer generated from a sample under test, and to compare the data from the spectrometer to the set of reference data; and a user interface through which the analysis sub-system provides a user with information about a presence, if any, of the particular material in the sample under test.