Electrochemically assisted UV-enhanced boiling of drinking water to reduce human exposure to disinfection byproducts

Accelerated urbanisation has raised serious concerns on the quality of drinking water. In particular, the disinfection byproducts (DBPs) present in tap water have emerged as a potential health hazard. As hot water is routinely consumed and electrochemically assisted ultraviolet ( E -UV) technology is commonly adopted under various conditions and in aquatic environments, this study comprehensively evaluates whether E -UV boiling (E-UV/BO) technology can eliminate DBPs from drinking water. Results indicated that BO enhanced the E-UV efficacy of haloacetic acid (HAA) and aromatic DBP degradation by 1.0–1.2 times and the total organic carbon removal by 1.0–1.7 times relative to those for the ambient conditions. Trihalomethanes (THMs) were primarily eliminated through volatilisation during the BO process. The COMSOL simulation findings validated the substantial role of BO in THM elimination and demonstrated that modifying the hydrodynamic conditions of the solution can further improve the E -UV removal ability of HAAs and aromatic DBPs. After E-UV/BO treatment, the acutely toxic levels of HAAs and aromatic DBPs were reduced to ‘not harmful’ and the expressions of lipid synthesis–related genes in TCM were reduced by 50 %–80 %, confirming that the system effectively reduced ecological risks. Furthermore, experimental validation using actual water samples collected from diverse sources demonstrates the applicability of the technology under realistic environmental conditions. Incorporating E -UV devices into traditional electric kettles notably enhances drinking water quality while minimally increasing the energy usage (by approximately 5 %–10 %). E -UV/BO technology presents as a practical approach for eliminating DBPs from potable water, considerably improving the safety and quality of water.