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Abstract: Application of new disinfection technologies for marine waters has been investigated recently, mainly ozone and UV. This study proposes to compare UV performances to an AOP, UV/H2O2, for seawater disinfection and natural organic matter removal. Those processes present the interest in avoiding the formation of disinfection by-products such as bromate and trihalomethanes. For the doses applied, UV and UV/H2O2 achieved full disinfection. Organic matter degradation was greatly improved by H2O2 addition achieving absorbance reduction and biodegradability increase. Mineralization was very poor (less than 10%). Oxidant efficiency decreases with the increase of hydrogen peroxide consumption. Bromide oxidation by-products were not observed. No residual oxidant, no bromate and no disinfection by-products were formed. Those observations are consistent with the theory and suggest a real interest of UV/H2O2 for seawater treatment in specific areas where organic matter degradation has to deal with the control of toxic by-products generation (marine aquaculture, aquarium). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]