Combining Cavitation and Plasma to Tackle Drinking Water Pollution

2026-07-22

Escalating water pollution is one of the most critical global crises, jeopardizing the global supply of clean water and threatening public health on an unprecedented scale. Contaminated water, together with poor sanitation can be directly linked to transmission of various diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and hepatitis A. Our successfully completed ERC project (CoG CABUM) has shown that cavitation (almost instantaneous growth and collapse of vapor bubbles due to a local pressure drop) destroys microorganisms by mechanical forces (shear and shockwaves) and that these effects can be enhanced by an elegant manipulation of cavitation conditions. CABUM has also revealed, that low-pressure cavitation region can be used to ignite non-thermal plasma, leading to successful disinfection. To further evolve the technology, PureWater will develop a compact, pilot-scale device that innovatively couples cavitation and plasma (CAP) and builds on the established lab-scale prototype. The novel CAP device will have a dual purpose: • a safe and energy efficient alternative to established disinfection technologies in public and industrial facilities that have problems with Legionella pneumophila outbursts; • a royalty free technology for on-site drinking water treatment in most vulnerable regions of the world. Firstly, the small-scale device will be fine-tuned and scaled up and then tested in a relevant setting, where CAP will be optimized for reliable long-term operation and high efficacy. As access to clean water is a basic human right and a critical component of public health, economic development and environmental sustainability, PureWater will pay particular attention to CAP design so that it could be easily replicated in other settings. By tackling the challenge of providing potable water in developing regions, CAP has the potential to make a significant breakthrough in water treatment and make an important contribution to global water security.

Slovenia

2025-10-01