A bubble chamber spectrometer provides a new method for the sensitive detection of an analyte in a solvent. A bubble chamber receives a solution containing an analyte to be detected. A laser is adapted to direct an output laser beam through the bubble chamber, where the laser is selected to be absorbed by the analyte and to be transmitted by the solvent. A video camera is adapted to display passage of said laser beam through said bubble chamber so that bubbles in the solvent arising from energy deposition in the analyte can be counted to characterize the analyte both quantitatively and qualitatively.