The aim of this work was to investigate the effectiveness of a high voltage multi-spark electric discharge, with pulse energy of 1 Joule, in killing microorganisms in wastewater. Wastewater from primary treated effluent arising from domestic and industrial sources was abstracted for continuous pulsed discharge disinfection. The wastewater contained a large mixed population of microorganisms (∼107 CFU ml−1 [109 CFU 100 ml−1] total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria) including vegetative cells and spores. The electrical conductivity of the wastewater ranged from 900–1400 μS cm−1 and it was shown that a specific energy of 1.25–1.5 J cm−3 was required to achieve 1 log reduction in bacterial (faecal coliforms/total aerobic heterotrophs) content. This is higher than that previously shown to reduce the population of E. coli in tap water of low conductivity, demonstrating the role of total wastewater constituents, including dissolved and particulate substances, water colour and the presence of microbial spores, in effective disinfection. The system can be engineered to eradicate microbial populations to levels governed by legislation by increasing treatment time or energy input.
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Research Article|
December 01 2004
The effectiveness of a multi-spark electric discharge system in the destruction of microorganisms in domestic and industrial wastewaters
A. M. Anpilov;
A. M. Anpilov
1General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow, Russia
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E. M. Barkhudarov;
E. M. Barkhudarov
1General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow, Russia
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N. Christofi;
2Pollution Research Unit, Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, Scotland, UK
Tel: +44 131 455 2490 Fax: +44 131 455 2291; E-mail: [email protected]
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V. A. Kop'ev;
V. A. Kop'ev
1General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow, Russia
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I. A. Kossyi;
I. A. Kossyi
1General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow, Russia
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M. I. Taktakishvili;
M. I. Taktakishvili
1General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38 Vavilov Street, Moscow, Russia
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Yu. V. Zadiraka
Yu. V. Zadiraka
3SPLITS Technologies Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
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J Water Health (2004) 2 (4): 267–277.
Citation
A. M. Anpilov, E. M. Barkhudarov, N. Christofi, V. A. Kop'ev, I. A. Kossyi, M. I. Taktakishvili, Yu. V. Zadiraka; The effectiveness of a multi-spark electric discharge system in the destruction of microorganisms in domestic and industrial wastewaters. J Water Health 1 December 2004; 2 (4): 267–277. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2004.0024
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