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Technology assessment of solar disinfection for drinking water treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Inhyeong Jeon

    (Yale University)

  • Eric C. Ryberg

    (Yale University)

  • Pedro J. J. Alvarez

    (Rice University)

  • Jae-Hong Kim

    (Yale University)

Abstract

Poor access to safe drinking water is a major sustainability issue for a third of the world’s population, especially for those living in rural areas. Solar disinfection could be the choice of technology considering the abundant sunlight exposure in infrastructure-limited regions. However, despite recent technological advances, it remains unclear which solar disinfection option is more broadly applicable and reliable, enabling the most efficient use of solar radiation. Here we examine the potential of five most typical solar-based, point-of-use water disinfection technologies, including semiconductor photocatalysis to produce hydroxyl radical, dye photosensitization to produce singlet oxygen, ultraviolet irradiation using light-emitting diodes powered by a photovoltaic panel, distillation using a solar still and solar pasteurization by raising the bulk water temperature to 75 °C. The sensitivity analysis allows us to assess how pathogen type, materials property, geographical variation in solar intensity and water-quality parameters interactively affect the effectiveness of these technologies under different scenarios. Revealed critical challenges point to the large gap between idealized materials properties and state of the art, the risk of focusing on select pathogens that show maximum inactivation effectiveness and the failure to consider uncertainties in water quality and geographical variations. Our analysis also suggests future pathways towards effective solar disinfection technology development and real-world implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Inhyeong Jeon & Eric C. Ryberg & Pedro J. J. Alvarez & Jae-Hong Kim, 2022. "Technology assessment of solar disinfection for drinking water treatment," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 801-808, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:5:y:2022:i:9:d:10.1038_s41893-022-00915-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-022-00915-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Phoebe Koundouri & Anthony Cox & Arunima Malik & Ben Groom & Brian O'Callaghan & Cameron Hepburn & Catherine Kilelu & Christine Lins & Dale Squires & E. Somanathan & Heba Handoussa & Ian Bateman & Ism, 2023. "The Recovery from the Covid-19 Pandemic as an Opportunity for a Sustainable and Resilient World," DEOS Working Papers 2311, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    2. Xinge Yang & Zhihui Chen & Chengjie Xiang & He Shan & Ruzhu Wang, 2024. "Enhanced continuous atmospheric water harvesting with scalable hygroscopic gel driven by natural sunlight and wind," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Sellars, Marcus & Carter, Stacy M. & Lancsar, Emily & Howard, Kirsten & Coast, Joanna, 2024. "Making recommendations to subsidize new health technologies in Australia: A qualitative study of decision-makers’ perspectives on committee processes," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).

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