Reduction of pathogenic bacteria from irrigation water through a copper-loaded porous ceramic emitter.

The increasing pathogenic bacteria threat in irrigation water has become a worldwide concern, prompting efforts to discover a new cost-effective method for pathogenic bacteria eradication, different than those currently in use. In this study, a novel copper-loaded porous ceramic emitter (CPCE) was developed via molded sintering method to kill bacteria from irrigation water. The material performance and hydraulic properties of CPCE are discussed herein, and the antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcusaureus (S. aureus) was evaluated. The incremental copper content in CPCE improved flexural strength and pore size, which was conducive to enhancing CPCE discharge. Moreover, antibacterial tests showed that CPCE displayed efficient antimicrobial activity, killing 99.99% and more than 70% of S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. The results reveal that CPCE, with both irrigation and sterilization functions, can provide a low-cost and effective solution for bacterial removal from irrigation water.