Overview of the Main Disinfection Processes for Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Plants

TLDR

Water disinfection, a public‑health measure that curbs disease spread, uses a range of technologies—conventional methods are most common, advanced options remain largely experimental, and chlorine‑based disinfectants are widely applied despite potential by‑product formation. This paper reviews wastewater and drinking‑water disinfection technologies, outlining conventional processes’ mechanisms, by‑product risks, operating conditions, advantages, and disadvantages. The review details the action mechanisms of conventional, advanced, and natural disinfection processes, including by‑product formation and operating parameters.

Abstract

The use of water disinfection as a public health measure reduces the spread of diseases. Various disinfection technologies can be used to meet the pathogen inactivation demand in water. This work is an overview of the main disinfection technologies of wastewater and drinking water that reports for the conventional processes the action mechanism, the possible formation of by-products, the operative conditions, the advantages and disadvantages. For advanced and natural processes the action mechanisms are reported. Advanced technologies are interesting but are still in the research state, while conventional technologies are the most used. There is a tendency, especially in Italy, to use chlorine-based disinfectant, despite in some forms could lead to production of disinfection by-products.