Appliance of Electron Beam Technology for Disinfection of Sewage Water to Minimize Public Health Risks

Abstract

First time in India, a study was aimed to establish a base- line data for electron beamradiation dose level needed to disinfect and also improve the water quality of sewage waterfor possible reuse in irrigation, industries as well as a few domestic purposes. Raw andsecondary treated sewage water samples, which were rich with microorganisms from NaviMumbai municipal sewage plant were irradiated with electron beam accelerator at doses of0.45, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 9.0 and 10.5 kGy. Electron Beam irradiation treatment ofthe wastewater was found to be very effective in reducing the pathogenic load. ElectronBeam (EB) dose of 1.5 kGy was sufficient for complete elimination of total coli formswhereas Cryptococcus laurentii, Aspergillus fumigatus and Absidia sp. were killedby10.0 kGy and no larvae of helminthes (Ascaris lumbricoides) were recovered at thedose ≥ 1.5 kGy. The experimental findings obtained highlighted the potential of thistechnology for disinfection of wastewater.