This book is the most comprehensive recent publication on MWPs, consisting of 13 chapters, primarily involving the fundamentals, the instrumentation, and the methodologies of MWP-OES. The physical and chemical characteristics of the various MWP sources and sample introduction techniques available are all discussed as well as how these characteristics affect the design of the parts of the MWP setup with inclusion of some very recent work with MWP sources. Considerable experimental and fundamental emphasis is placed on the plasma generation as well as the experimental aspects of sample introduction in MWP spectrometry. The book firstly outlines the generation and operation of MWP discharges, and presents briefly the principles of MWP-based techniques currently in use, along with their potential benefits and limitations. It then addresses the art and science of microwave plasma generation and highlights very recent advances in the field, presenting both the fundamental properties and the design details of new microwave plasma sources. Analytical characteristics and novel applications of MWP-OES for a wide variety of sample types are also reviewed. As the book documents the latest achievements in MWP spectrometry, it should stimulate their use on a wider scale in the analytical and research laboratories and will prove useful to manufacturers of analytical instruments. This book is also aimed at academics and postgraduates embarking on work in the field of MWP source spectrometry, ICP/MWP users, analysts and research groups who want to configure their own plasma spectrometry setup, and manufacturers of plasma spectrometers and MWP devices. It will also be a useful source of information for those seeking to interface various sample introduction techniques with plasmas and for all those who would like to know more about the technique.