Disinfection during Iron Electrocoagulation: Differentiating between Inactivation and Floc Entrapment for <i>Escherichia coli</i> and Somatic Coliphage ØX174

Electrochemical water treatment is gaining increasing popularity due to its wide range of potential applications, decreasing costs, and suitability as a decentralized alternative, but mainly it being considered ”green technology”. In the field municipal wastewater treatment, use iron electrocoagulation (Fe-EC) has been marginal although disinfection reported, underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, for which significant controversy remains. this study, microbial inactivation during Fe-EC was evaluated two-component process, namely, physical removal by floc sorption/entrapment, reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced (semi)Fenton reactions. Using fecal indicators Escherichia coli WR1 somatic coliphage ØX174 suspended in synthetic matrix, role ROS flocculation were quantitatively evaluated. Fenton inhibitor TEMPOL used quench production Fe-EC. At circumneutral pH, found be highly detrimental E. coli, yet only mildly damaging phage (≈3.9 log10 ≈0.8 inactivation, respectively). Inactivation both increased under acidic conditions (pH 5.5), likely formation hydroxyl radicals (•OH), exceeding 5.1 1.5 ØX174. The pathway linked oxidation ferrous (Fe2+), independent settings. Experiments involving different settings demonstrated that there strong positive correlation between orthokinetic-like conditions, sedimentation, removal, meaning entrapment major following When compared control experiments no proper stage introduced, orthokinetic additional 3.1 4.4 ØX174, respectively. We conclude prerequisite however, does offer an barrier, increases robustness treatment.