The experimental research of emission spectral characteristics of the arc discharge plasma and the laser breakdown plasma arising at the action of UV laser radiation on a surface of inorganic and organic (biological) substances in atmosphere are presented. It is shown that emission spectra of plasma of both inorganic and organic (biological) substances arise not only as a result of radiation of light by atoms of the investigated substance, but also by the molecules of atmospheric gases (oxygen, nitrogen). For biological substances except for the specified lines of radiation there are molecular bands of cyanogen (СN), СН, С2 etc.
еmission spectrum, laser plasma, electric arc discharge, laser radiation