Photoelectrochemical systems have the potential to contribute to de-carbonation of the energy system because solar energy can be directly converted to hydrogen which can be burnt without the release of greenhouse gases. However, meaningful deployment of photoelectrochemical (PEC) technology in the global energy system, even when highly efficient scaled up devices become available, shall only be a reality when their safe and reliable operation can be guaranteed over serveral years of service life. The first part of the review discusses the importance of hermetic sealing of up scaled PEC device provided by the casing and sealing joints from a reliability and risk perspective. The second part of the review presents a survey of fully functional devices and early demonstrators and uses this to establish the extent to which the state of the art in PEC device design address the issue of hermetic sealing. The survey revealed that current material choices and sealing techniques are still unsuitable for scale –up and commercialization. Accordingly, we examined possible synergies with related photovoltaic and electrochemical devices that have been commericalised and derived therefrom, recommendations for future research routes that could accelerate the development of hermetic sealings of PEC devices.

Agricultural food supplies, in particular raw vegetables for example with a preference of raw foods, are susceptible to contamination by several microorganisms, which may threaten human health. The regulation of the pathogenic load on foodstuffs has been a key element in food safety. Equipment such as ultraviolet radiation or microwave irradiation could effectively, easily, but partially resolve the problem of these contamination that cannot be achieved by traditional methods such as water washing at the consumer level. Ensuring the safety and quality of food through preservation is of extreme importance. However, the incomplete pasteurization might nonetheless contribute to the development of human health with a concept of hermetic effects. Here, an innovative and alternative approach for food sanitation would theoretically be introduced for the original evaluation of risks/benefits of microbiological cause related with food consumption.