DISINFECTION OF WASTEWATERS - HIGH-ENERGY ELECTRON VS GAMMA-IRRADIATION

A study was undertaken to examine the sensitivity of a wastewater popu lation of coliphage, total coliforms and total flora present in raw se wage and secondary effluent after irradiating with similar doses deliv ered by a high-energy electron beam and gamma-radiation. The electron beam study was conducted on a large scale at the Virginia Key Wastewat er Treatment Plant, Miami. Fla. The facility is equipped with a 1.5 Me V, 50 mA electron accelerator, with a wastewater flow rate of 81 s-1. Concurrent gamma-radiation studies were conducted at laboratory scale using a 5000 Ci, Co-60 gamma-source. Three logs reduction of all three test organisms were observed at an electron beam dose of 500 krads, w hile at least four logs reduction were observed at the same dose utili zing the gamma-source.