Waste　printed　circuit　boards　smelting　ash　(WPCBs-SA)　is　generated　by　the　smelting　process　of　waste　printed　circuit　boards　(WPCBs),　which　contains　valuable　metals,　such　as　copper　(Cu),　zinc　(Zn),　and　sliver　(Ag),　and　a　large　amount　of　harmful　bromide　(Br-).　In　this　work,　a　facile　sulfation　roasting　(SR)　proposed　for　the　removal　of　Br-　from　WPCBs-SA　with　high　efficiency.　The　thermodynamic　analysis　is　systemically　investigated,　and　the　results　demonstrate　that　Br-　in　WPCBs-SA　is　converted　into　HBr　or　Br-2　comfortably　below　564.8　K　during　the　SR　process.　The　influences　of　essential　variables　such　as　the　ratio　of　sulfuric　acid　into　smelting　ash,　roasting　temperature　and　time　are　systematically　investigated,　and　the　variables　are　also　optimized　via　response　surface　methodology　(RSM).　Under　the　optimized　experimental　conditions,　the　Br-　removal　efficiency　reached　up　to　98.97%,　and　the　values　of　the　three　variables　were　0.8　g/g,　590.04　K　and　123.25　min,　respectively.　The　proposed　RSM　model　equation　shows　a　good　correlation　with　the　experimental　data,　with　a　correlation　coefficient　(R-2)　of　96.05%.　This　work　will　be　a　new　method　to　enrich　the　harmful　elements　of　WPCBs-SA　and　reduce　the　potential　environmental　pollution　of　related　hazardous　wastes.　(C)　2020　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.