The Green Method in Water Management: Electron Beam Treatment

During the prebiotic era, radiolytic transformations in the oceans played a key role in purifying water from toxic impurities and, thus, played a role in the formation of the aquatic environment of our planet, making it suitable for the emergence of life. Today, the planet again faces the challenge of how to provide people with clean water. Therefore, it is reasonable to look back at past historical stages and again consider the possibility of neutralizing pollutants in water by means of radiolysis, which has already been tested by time. Modern radiolytic treatments can be much faster and safer thanks to the advent of powerful electron accelerators and high-rate electron beam treatment (ELT) of water and wastewater. Radiolytic treatment of water using accelerated electrons corresponds to the essence of advanced oxidative technologies and green chemistry. The ELT of water instantly generates a high concentration of short-lived radicals that can quickly neutralize and decompose chemical and bacterial pollutants. Due to the ability of accelerated electrons to penetrate into a substance, ELT provides the decomposition of both dissolved and suspended pollutants. The cleaning effect of ELT is due to the ability to inactivate toxic and chromophore functional groups, transform impurities into an easily removable form, damage the DNA of microorganisms and their spore forms, and increase the biodegradability of organic impurities. The use of ELT in water treatment provides significant savings in chemical reagents, thereby improving quality and reducing the number of cleaning steps. The compactness, high degree of automation of the equipment used, energy efficiency, high productivity, and excellent compatibility with traditional water treatment methods are important advantages of ELT. Unlike conventional chemicals, the excess radicals generated in the ELT process are converted back to water and hydrogen; thus, the chemical and corrosive activity of water does not increase. Equipping research institutes with electron accelerators, developing cheaper accelerators, and granting government support for pilot projects are key conditions for introducing ELT into water treatment practice.