LAUSR

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.