Abstract
We studied laser-induced melting and decomposition of asbestos-containing slate and confirmed the effectiveness of CO2 laser irradiation. A comparison between continuous-wave and pulse CO2 laser irradiation revealed that pulse irradiation, which provides advantages in equipment cost and energy consumption, was as effective as continuous-wave irradiation. We conducted laser irradiation experiments on asbestos-containing slate at different pulse intervals and laser power levels, measured melting depths, and confirmed the absence of asbestos fiber by surface and cross-sectional observation of molten areas. We observed evaporation of molten material by laser irradiation, and elemental analysis showed that the overall material rather than specific elements evaporated. Although it was possible to detoxify asbestos, laser treatment has yet to be optimized for low-evaporation conditions.
