title: Photovoltaic powered ultraviolet and visible light-emitting diodes for sustainable point-of-use disinfection of drinking waters.
abstract: For many decades, populations in rural and remote developing regions will be unable to access centralised piped potable water supplies, and indeed, decentralised options may be more sustainable. Accordingly, improved household point-of-use (POU) disinfection technologies are urgently needed. Compared to alternatives, ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection is very attractive because of its efficacy against all pathogen groups and minimal operational consumables. Though mercury arc lamp technology is very efficient, it requires frequent lamp replacement, involves a toxic heavy metal, and their quartz envelopes and sleeves are expensive, fragile and require regular cleaning. An emerging alternative is semiconductor-based units where UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are powered by photovoltaics (PV). Our review charts the development of these two technologies, their current status, and challenges to their integration and POU application. It explores the themes of UV-C-LEDs, non-UV-C LED technology (e.g. UV-A, visible light, Advanced Oxidation), PV power supplies, PV/LED integration and POU suitability. While UV-C LED technology should mature in the next 10 years, research is also needed to address other unresolved barriers to in situ application as well as emerging research opportunities especially UV-A, photocatalyst/photosensitiser use and pulsed emission options.
authors.affiliation: UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address: gough@student.unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Gough Yumu
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lui
authors.affiliation: UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address: djroser@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roser
authors.affiliation: School of Photovoltaics and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address: r.corkish@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corkish
authors.affiliation: UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; School of Public Health , Room 3-57D, South Academic Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G7, Canada. Electronic address: ashbolt@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ashbolt
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4006, Australia. Electronic address: p.jagals@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jagals
authors.affiliation: UNSW Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. Electronic address: r.stuetz@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stuetz
mesh_terms: D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D060766:Drinking Water; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010777:Photochemistry; D012666:Semiconductors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water
keywords: Disinfection; Light-emitting diodes; Pathogen; Photovoltaics; Ultraviolet