Abstract

The improvement of microbiogical quality of irrigation water, allows the fulfillment of quality standars required by international markets. Photocatalysis, an Advanced Oxidation Process, is a technology for disinfection and pollutants degradation, improving water quality. Their effectiveness is verified, as well as their harmlessness, low cost of operation and high remediation capacity, but there are not reported applications for agricultural waters. For these reasons, the main focus of this research is the application of heterogeneous solar phocatalysis using photocatalyst supported in concrete lining of a irrigation channel activated by sunligth UV radiation to decrease microbiological load. Laboratory tests were made in static reactors of both low volume and recirculation, in addition to tests in controlled conditions of operation in a prototype channel of 104 meters in length. Low volume test showed 90 % removal for Escherichia Coli ATTCC 25922 with cummulative radiation energy of 10.000 J m-2,which allow reach Chilean regulatory levels for irrigation water quality. For prototype channel, removal was 85 % at 50 m and 100% at the end of the channel. These preliminary results indicate that the use of this technology in the irrigation water disinfection is feasible and low costs. Nevertheless, it is necessary to advance in the development of a design methodology for real-scale applications in a Good Agricultural Practices framework.