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Limits of detection for a number of elements both in air and in argon inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICPAES) have been determined using a high-resolution interferometric spectrometer (HiRIS) that consists of an acousto-optic tunable filter, a fiber-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer, and a photon-counting PMT detector. Detection limits using the HiRIS are comparable to those determined using a 1.5 m focal-length grating spectrometer, which has resolution similar to that of the HiRIS. Differences between the two spectrometer systems and the two plasma systems are discussed. The portability and versatility of the HiRIS make it a useful alternative for field or on-line measurements using ICPAES. The high-resolution capabilities allow the HiRIS to replace large grating spectrometers for resolution of isotopic and complex spectra.