M. Kogure et al., BACTERICIDAL EFFECT OF H- IONS GENERATED BY WATER DISSOCIATION USING THE ION-EXCHANGE MEMBRANE ELECTRODIALYSIS SYSTEM( AND OH), Denki Kagaku Oyobi Kogyo Butsuri Kagaku, 66(1), 1998, pp. 61-68
A new electrodialysis system was designed to examine the disinfection
effect of H+ and OH- ions separately. The electrodialysis system consi
sts of six compartments in which one compartment is partitioned by a p
air of same polar membranes (cation-cation or anion-anion ion exchange
membranes). The disinfection effects of H+ and OH- ions were investig
ated in detail on Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Bacte
ria with negative charge were moved by electrophoresis toward the anio
n exchange membrane with positive charge and adsorped on the membrane
forming a negatively charged layer. A pronounced decrease in the limit
ing current density of the anion exchange membrane occurred due to the
formation of the negatively charged layer. The water dissociation was
accelerated by the increase in the true current density due to the ad
sorption of bacteria which resulted in the reduction in the effective
surface area. It was suggested from the finding that the principle fac
tor of the lethal damage to Escherichia coli cells was ascribable to t
he drastic increase in H+ ions produced by the accerelation of water d
issociation.