Laser cleaning of oil spill on coastal rocks

Abstract

In recent years, oil spills have become a significant environmental problem in Thailand. This paper presents a laser treatment for controlled-clean up oil spill from coastal rocks. The cleaning of various types of coastal rocks polluted by the spill was investigated by using a quasi CW diode laser operating at 808 nm. The laser power was attempted from 1 W to 70 W. The result is shown to lead to the laser removal of oil spill, without damaging the underlying rocks. In addition, the cleaning efficiency is evaluated using an optical microscope. This study shows that the laser technology would provide an attractive alternative to current cleaning methods to remove oil spill from coastal rocks.