Electrochemically activated water (ECHAW): history of discovery, specificity of the process, current state and prospects of its application under irrigation conditions

Abstract

The history of the discovery, the specificity of the process and the current state of the use of electrochemically activated water (ECHAW) in various sectors of the economy are analyzed and the possibilities of its use in irrigation are determined. It has been established that the most promising area of ​​application of ECHAW in irrigated agriculture are drip irrigation systems. The adding an anolyte to water during drip irrigation can significantly reduce (or even eliminate) the need to use plant protection products and the adding an catholyte significantly accelerates the development and increases the yield of agricultural crops against the background of improving product quality. The ecological consequences of this are the reduction of anthropogenic load on irrigated lands through the complete or partial replacement of chemical plant protection products with anolyte, which is an environmentally safe liquid; economic - increasing profitability and reducing the payback period of land irrigation projects. It has been determined that the prospect of using ECHAW in drip irrigation systems is due to the fact that the water supply technology allows supplying catholyte and anolyte to the field with minimal losses of activation potential. A predisposing factor for the use of ECHAW in drip irrigation systems is also their design according to a modular principle, which contributes to the possibility of equipping water treatment units of systems with ECHAW modules. At the same time, the design of systems should be carried out taking into account not only the need to ensure uniform distribution of water by droppers over the field, but also with the preservation of the activation potential of electrochemically activated components of irrigation water. Based on the foregoing, it can be considered that the development of means of electrochemical activation of water for irrigation needs, as well as technologies for the use of such water in growing crops is relevant and timely. The deployment of fundamental and applied research will contribute to the development of domestic equipment for the industrial production of ECHAW and will allow adapting the world technologies of their use to the conditions and needs of the Ukrainian manufacturer and consumer. The use of electrochemically activated water in drip irrigation systems can be especially effective.