Contaminated water, particularly, ballast water, blackwater, galley
water, accommodation water, laundry water, fresh water and seawater, is disinfected
by admixture of a highly reactive gas stream containing ions of oxygen and nitrogen,
formed by exposure of air to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, and of chlorine,
formed in situ by electrolysis of salt in the water. Solids removal can be accomplished
by electrophoresis in the same unit employed for electrolysis to release chlorine,
or in a separate unit. Heavy metals maybe removed by plating or sacrificing electrodes.
