New technology for waste fluorescent lamps treatment in Lithuania—characterisation and environmental impact

Abstract

Treatment of waste fluorescent lamps, which are widely used all over the world, is a very important field of environmental research. Due to the presence of mercury vapour in these lamps, this kind of waste requires special attention to its disposal. This study aims to evaluate the environmental impact of fluorescent lamps and to describe the principal aspects of new technology used for their treatment in Lithuania.The main parameters in this treatment process are mercury and manganese concentrations in the treatment of residual waste of fluorescent lamps. Mercury concentration in fractionated treatment residuals was determined by complexonometric titration and the manganese concentration was determined by the atomic absorption method. The results, obtained in the study, show manganese and mercury content in fluorescent lamp treatment products and the main physical parameters of these treatment products. This study revealed that concentrations of metallic mercury and water soluble mercury salts in the examined samples are within the permitted limits. Also, this paper presents residuals X-ray analysis results.Results of this study show that the products of waste fluorescent lamps treatment can be treated as environmentally friendly, according to their solubility in water. It gives an opportunity to look for more possibilities of this product's disposal. As the presented treatment technology is relatively new and used to treat only small amounts of waste fluorescent lamps, this technology could be modified for larger productivity. Studies of this technology should go further in the aspects of different ways of treating the disposal of products, development of technology, etc.

Characterization of residues from physicochemical treatment of waste fluorescent lamps

“…The technology was described by Urniezaite et al (2007) and patented as a Lithuanian patent (LT patent 2002). The process is defined as a physicochemical treatment of solid wastes (BREF 2006).…”