Electrochemical disinfection using a modified reticulated vitreous carbon cathode for drinking water treatment

A reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) cathode modified by anodic polarization in 20 wt% H₂SO₄ solution was used for drinking water disinfection under a neutral low electrolyte concentration (0.25 g/L Na₂SO₄) condition. The contribution of the modified RVC anode and the Ti/RuO₂ cathode to disinfection was investigated. The influences of current, initial Escherichia coli load, temperature and water volume were studied. The results show that H₂O₂ generation increased to approximately three times using the modification of the RVC. E. coli was mainly deactivated by the H₂O₂ generated at the cathode. For water with about 10⁶ CFU/mL E. coli, the detection limit (<4 CFU/mL) was reached under different conditions. Increasing current could simultaneously shorten the treatment time and increase the energy consumption (EC) simultaneously. Although decreasing the initial load reduced the treatment time, the EC for per log E. coli removal increased. The time required for disinfection shortened from 3.5 to 2.5 h and the EC for per log removal decreased from 218.5 to 123.2 Wh/m³ when the temperature increased from 20 to 40 °C. Although more time was required for disinfection, the EC decreased from 218.5 to 141.4 Wh/m³ when the volume was doubled.