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

Abstract A reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) cathode modified by anodic polarization in 20 wt% H 2 SO 4 solution was used for drinking water disinfection under a neutral low electrolyte concentration (0.25 g/L Na 2 SO 4 ) condition. The contribution of the modified RVC anode and the Ti/RuO 2 cathode to disinfection was investigated. The influences of current, initial Escherichia coli load, temperature and water volume were studied. The results show that H 2 O 2 generation increased to approximately three times using the modification of the RVC. E. coli was mainly deactivated by the H 2 O 2 generated at the cathode. For water with about 10 6  CFU/mL E. coli , the detection limit ( 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/m 3 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/m 3 when the volume was doubled.