Evaluation of disinfection efficacy and chemical formation using MPUV ballast water treatment system (GloEn-Patrol^TM)

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of inactivation of several indigenous marine species and the formation of oxidants and other by-products using medium-pressure ultraviolet (MPUV) ballast water treatment. The ballast water treatment system (BWTS) used in this study was composed of filtration modules as a pretreatment process, followed by a UV irradiation process equipped with a polychromatic MPUV lamp. The experiments were performed on seawater (Busan,>32PSU) and brackish water (Nakdong River, 20-22PSU) with flow rates of 50 and 250m³/h. The disinfection efficacy of the system was evaluated using indigenous species (>50 m and 10-50 m) and surrogate microorganisms (E. coli and Enterococci group). The test results successfully met the D-2 regulation of the IMO (International Marine Organization). In addition, oxidants, such as H₂O₂, total residual oxidants (TRO) and OH radicals, and potential halogenated by-products, such as haloacetic acids, trihalomethanes and total organic halides, that had potentially formed after MPUV treatment, were measured. In conclusion, the ballast water treatment system employing the MPUV physical process not only effectively eliminated indigenous species in ballast water but also generated no harmful by-products.