Abstract: A water purification process comprises applying electrical energy to water to be treated in a treatment chamber having a cathode and an anode opposing each other and deactivates or destroys microorganisms in the water. Water in the vicinity of the anode is caused to flow away from the anode by subjecting the water and/or the anode to vibration. The water purification apparatus includes a treatment chamber (2) having a cathode (9) and an anode (3) opposing each other. Electrical energy is applied to microorganisms contained in the water. The anode and/or the water in the vicinity of the anode is vibrated and debris inside and outside the chamber is removed (17).

Abstract: Applying electrical energy to a microorganism through a liquid, gas or solid having electrical energy causes an increase in an electric charge in excess of the limit of intracellular and extracellular electrostatic capacity possessed by the microorganism, which results in an irreversible change in the microorganism cells and/or explosively destroys the border membrane of the microorganism cells.