(528a) Preparation and USE of Rare METAL OXIDE Coated ELECTRODE for Electrochemcial Disinfection of Ballast WATER

Ballast water is an essential component in shipping industry, providing the balance and structural integrity to the ships in voyage. International maritime organization (IMO) has recognized the ballasting and de-ballasting process as one of the four greatest threats to the ocean environment due to the high possibility of biological invasions through the process. Biological invasions create ecological, economical, and human health issues and thus ballast water has to be treated prior to discharge. IMO adopted a regulation to manage the transfer of invasive species through ballast water. In our early work, electrochemical technology has been evaluated and found to be effective for the disinfection of E. coli and E. faecalis, two organisms that are regulated by IMO. However, an electrode which can provide enough amounts of disinfectants using a lower amount of energy, while last for a long duration of treatment is essential, if the system is to be introduced in full scale. In this research, a rare metal oxide coated electrode was prepared and used for the generation of disinfectants successfully. Electrode lifetime investigation reveals that the produced electrode is effective in terms of service lifetime.

Key words: Ballast water, Disinfectant, Disinfection, Oxide electrode, Service life