Short Review: Application Of UV LED Light And Ozone As A Water Sterilization Method Against E. Coli

Abstract

This review investigates the effectiveness of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) and ozone as water sterilization methods for the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a widely recognized indicator of fecal contamination and waterborne pathogens. The objective is to evaluate their disinfection efficiency, operational feasibility, and sustainability compared to conventional approaches. A systematic search of recent experimental and review articles (2018–2024) was conducted through databases such as Scopus and Google Scholar, focusing on studies reporting microbial inactivation performance, operational parameters, and synergistic applications. Results show that UV-LEDs at 265 nm can achieve up to 99% inactivation of E. coli, while ozone concentrations around 0.16 ppm demonstrate strong oxidative effects on microbial cells. Combined applications exhibit synergistic effects, enhancing disinfection beyond individual methods. The findings recommend UV-LED and ozone integration as scalable and environmentally safe technologies, particularly suitable for decentralized water treatment in low-resource settings. Future research should emphasize field validation, operational optimization, and integration with complementary technologies. Because of their complementary mechanisms, ozone and UV have synergistic effects when applied together that improve disinfection efficiency. The use of ozone and UV-LEDs as scalable, effective, and sustainable water sterilisation methods is generally supported by this review. These techniques provide a practical route to fulfilling international standards for safe drinking water and are especially well-suited for portable or decentralised water treatment systems.