Hybrid cavitation methods for water disinfection: simultaneous use of chemicals with cavitation

This study brings out the potential efficacy of hybrid techniques for water disinfection. The techniques studied include, hydrodynamic cavitation, acoustic cavitation and treatment with chemicals such as ozone and hydrogen peroxide. The phenomena of cavitation which involves formation, growth and violent collapse of vapor bubbles in a liquid media is known to generate a high intensity pressure which affects the cell and microorganism viability. The hybrid technique which combines hydrodynamic cavitation, acoustic cavitation, hydrogen peroxide and/or ozone appears to be an attractive alternative to a single technique for the reduction in the heterotropic plate count bacteria as well as indicator microorganisms like the Total coliforms, Fecal coliforms and Fecal streptococci. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.