Towards hybridizing and intensifying electrochemical disinfection techniques

Djamel Ghernaout; Noureddine Elboughdiri; Badia Ghernaout; Mhamed Benaissa; Alsamani Salih

doi:10.57056/ajet.v9i1.160

Authors

Djamel Ghernaout Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha’il, PO Box 2440, Ha’il 81441, Saudi Arabia, Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Blida, PO Box 270, Blida 09000, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0806-3810
Noureddine Elboughdiri Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha’il, PO Box 2440, Ha’il 81441, Saudi Arabia, Chemical Engineering Process Department, National School of Engineers, Zrig Gabes 6029, University of Gabes, Gabes, Tunisia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2923-3062
Badia Ghernaout Mechanical Engineering Department, Amar Tlidji University of Laghouat, Laghouat 03000, Algeria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7510-1952
Mhamed Benaissa Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha’il, PO Box 2440, Ha’il 81441, Saudi Arabia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5639-6169
Alsamani Salih Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha’il, PO Box 2440, Ha’il 81441, Saudi Arabia, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Al Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9007-3980

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.57056/ajet.v9i1.160

Keywords:

Disinfection by-products, Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Electrocoagulation (EC), Electrolytic water splitting, Antibiotic-resistant genes, Reactive oxygen species

Abstract

Halting the transmission of waterborne diseases relies heavily on disinfection, a crucial barrier against pathogenic microorganisms. Electrochemical disinfection (ED) has emerged as a widely studied and implemented approach for effectively neutralizing these harmful microorganisms in water and wastewater. This is primarily due to ED's simplicity, efficiency, and environmentally friendly nature. This review provides a concise overview of ED's fundamental mechanisms and systematically examines the targeted species. Furthermore, we comprehensively explore the explore the actual employment of ED in dealing with water and wastewater. Lastly, we discuss the potential for combining ED with other technologies and synergies, laying the groundwork for future engineering advancements. The literature primarily focuses on various ED methods for eliminating pathogens. Still, there is limited understanding of how process variables and reactor design impact the effectiveness of pathogen kills. The microbial killing mechanisms of ED, including the role of free radicals and the electric field (EF), are inherently harmful to microorganisms. Additionally, other mechanisms have been proposed to explain the timeframes for implementing ED in different applications. The processes involved in ED can be categorized into four pathways. The first pathway involves oxidative stress and cell death caused by the production of oxidants. The second pathway is the cell membranes' irreparable permeabilization due to the used EF. The third pathway is the electrooxidation of critical cellular components when exposed to electric current or induced EFs. Lastly, the fourth pathway is the electrosorption of negatively charged bacteria onto the anode, pursued by a direct electron transfer reaction. The coming exploration must concentrate on comprehending the impact of EF on ED and implementing safe multi-hurdle methods such as distillation, plasma discharge, nanotechnologies, and membrane processes in industrial settings. Granular activated carbon is recommended as a post-treatment method to reduce the concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs). Adsorptive techniques and membrane processes remain promising research areas due to their comparatively small prices and simplicity of application. Further investigations into improving electrochemical reactors and optimizing electrolysis conditions are necessary. Integrating the ED process with different treatment methods guarantees improved disinfection effectiveness, reduced power use, and minimized DBPs. This review encourages combining more than two processes simultaneously or consecutively for better efficiency.

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