Disinfection and Reactivation of Microorganisms after UV Irradiation for Agricultural Water Reuse of Biofilter Effluent

A pilot study was performed to examine the feasibility of UV disinfection system and the reactivation of indicator microorganisms (TC, FC, E. coli) after UV irradiation for agricultural reuse of reclaimed water. Photoreactivation and dark repair enable UV-inactivated microorganisms to recover and may reduce the efficacy of UV inactivation, which might be drawbacks of the UV disinfection method. The effluent of biofilter for 16-unit apartment house was used as input to the UV disinfection system, and average SS and BOD concentration were 3.8 and 5.7 mg/L, respectively, and the mean level of total coliform was in the range of $1.0\times10^4$ MPN/100mL. UV disinfection was found to be effective and it reduced mean concentration of indicator microorganisms (total coliform, fecal coliform, and E. coli) to less than 100 MPN/100mL within 60s exposure using 17, 25, and 40W lamps. Two UV doses of 6 and 16 mW$\cdot$s/$\textrm{km}^2$ were applied and microorganisms reactivation was monitored under the dark, photoreactivating light, and solar irradiation. Microorganisms reactivation was observed in the UV dose of 6 mW$\cdot$s/$\textrm{km}^2$, and numbers increased up to 5% at the photoreactivating light and 1% at the dark. However, microorganisms were inactivated rather than reactivated at the solar radiation and numbers decreased to non-detectible level about below 2 MPN/100mL in 4 hours. In the case of 16 mW$\cdot$s/$\textrm{km}^2$, microorganism reactivation was not observed indicating that UV dose might affect the reactivation process such as photoreactivation and dark repair. Therefore, concerns associated with microorganism reactivation could be controlled by sufficient UV dose application. Agricultural reuse of reclaimed water might be even less concerned due to exposure to the solar irradiation that could further inactivate microorganisms. The pilot study result is encouraging, however, sanitary concern in water reuse is so critical that more comprehensive investigation is recommended.