The Continuous Non-Thermal Sterilization of Drinking Water Using Low Electric Field

Abstract

A continuous non-thermal sterilizer of drinking water using low electric field was designed, manufactured and tested in food engineering laboratory, food science department, Basrah University. It consists of tank, electrodes made from stainless steel and valve. Three electric field intensities have applied in this study are 40, 70 and 100 Vcm^-1. The complete randomize design has been used to analyze data statistically. The parameter studied were electric Conductivity, total aerobic bacteria count, total coliform  Bactria, E. coli, calculation of survival microorganism's ratio to total (C/C_T), rate of microorganisms' destruction and reducing microorganism percentage. The results showed that the electric conductivity of water ranged from 0.127 - 0.159 Sm^-1. Moreover, total count bacteria, total coliform Bactria, E. coli and survival microorganism's ratio to total were decreased significantly with the increase of the electric field intensities. As well as, rate of microorganisms' destruction was ranged between -281 to -2.81 CFU/L s^-1 and the reducing microorganism percentage has ranged between 99.94 – 99.99% at range of electric field intensities from 40 – 100 Vcm^-1 respectively. On the other hand, equation of calculation C/C_T has been developed by adding the electric field intensity effect in it which produced a new equation for the first time in this field.

Keywords: drinking water, sterilization, electric field, non-thermal treatment