Lead leaching behaviors during panel-funnel glass waste separation from cathode-ray tube glass using thermosol, acid etching or mechanical cutting methods

Discarded cathode-ray tube (CRT) glass is considered harmful waste because it contains poisonous lead. Hence, a study on the disposal of CRT glass and the potential risk of lead leaching is needed. This work performs the research on the panel-funnel glass separation method, an important step for CRT glass recycling. In the thermosol method, moderate temperatures of 565 ∼ 572 °C and 5 ∼ 7 min holding time are suitable for a complete panel-funnel glass separation. The acid etching method can achieve panel-funnel glass separation with low energy consumption by using a 10 wt% nitric acid solution as an agent. Panel-funnel glass can be quickly separated by a mechanical cutting method within four minutes and achieve a high glass recovery. A glass size of 2–10 mesh, a rotary shaking speed of 240 rpm, and a retention time of 120 h can accelerate the lead leaching of 133.34 mg/L from CRT glass in the leaching solution at pH 4.93. This work gives a systematic exploration into panel-funnel glass separation and lead leaching from CRT glass, which is potentially beneficial for CRT glass waste recycling, management, and disposal.