Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) has been proposed to the recycling industry as a potential in-situ technique to detect 
and analyse waste materials utilizing the emission spectra emanating from laser induced plasma. For example, concrete waste intended for reuse in new concrete is allowed to contain just small amounts of contaminants such as wood, gypsum and asbestos, whose presence and contents may be detected efficiently with LIBS. Our ongoing research is focused on developing a LIBS system with limits of detection that will enable reliable inspection of the quality of concrete waste, without interfering with the primary processes in the challenging industrial environment.
Shyama Banerjee, TU Delft
