AbstractThe state‐of‐the‐art and trends of development with the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and microwave induced plasmas (MIP) as radiation sources for optical emission spectrometry arc presented. Especially techniques for sample introduction are discussed. Here special reference is given to the use of spark ablation as well as 10 direct sample insertion and slurry atomization for the direct analysis of powder samples. The development in MIP optical emission Spectrometry is shown to center on the improvement of the plasma sources, their characterization and their tailoring to various sampling techniques. Results of the use of pneumatic nebulization of liquids and electrothermal evaporation of dry solution residues will be pres