Electrochemistry for Water Security. A Collaboration between UNAM and the University of Illinois in Service of Water Sustainability

This collaboration emerged within a series of scientific seminars designed to promote academic exchange between the Institute of Renewable Energy (IER) at UNAM and the University of Illinois (UI). During these meetings, Joaquín Rodríguez-López, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Hugo Olvera-Vargas, a researcher at IER, identified strong overlaps in their research interests, particularly in the use of electrochemistry as a tool to address environmental and energy challenges.

Both researchers share a common interest in electrocatalysis, a field that studies how certain materials can enable and accelerate chemical reactions through the use of electricity. In particular, they found common ground in developing technologies capable of generating green oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), with direct applications in wastewater treatment. These initial discussions quickly evolved into a joint proposal submitted to the UI System/UNAM Joint Research Partnership Program, an initiative aimed at funding seed projects that strengthen scientific collaboration between both institutions.

 Monserrat García Silva

The central motivation for the project stems from a shared concern: the growing global scarcity and pollution of water—some of the most pressing environmental and social threats of the 21^st century. Recognizing the magnitude of this challenge, the researchers combined their complementary expertise to advance innovative and sustainable solutions. Rodríguez-López contributed his experience in studying catalytic surfaces using advanced electrochemical techniques, as well as in designing and evaluating nanostructured semiconductor materials. These materials enable the electrochemical production of H₂O₂, a key molecule in the degradation of water pollutants. Olvera-Vargas brought extensive expertise in electrochemical advanced oxidation processes, which use H₂O₂ generated in situ—along with other oxidizing species—to produce highly reactive intermediates capable of efficiently destroying complex contaminants. This approach reduces environmental impact and facilitates water reuse.

Thanks to this scientific synergy and the global relevance of the problem at hand, the project was selected for funding in the second edition of the UI System/UNAM Joint Research Partnership Program in 2024, consolidating an international collaboration focused on generating knowledge and technology with tangible environmental and social impact.

CURRENT TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGES IN WATER MANAGEMENT
Beyond increasing water scarcity in many regions of the world—exacerbated by climate change—one of the most serious challenges in water management is the contamination of water sources. This problem arises largely from the vast diversity of pollutants generated by human activity and the fact that a significant proportion of global wastewater does not receive adequate treatment. As a result, numerous freshwater sources have been severely affected, compromising both their availability for human consumption and the health of ecosystems.

In Mexico, this situation is particularly concerning. Several major surface water basins, including the Lerma–Santiago, Atoyac, and Balsas rivers in central Mexico, show high levels of pollution associated with intense industrial activity, limited efficiency of wastewater treatment plants, and historically deficient water resource management.

EMERGING CONTAMINANTS EVEN AT VERY LOW CONCENTRATIONS, CAN PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS

Industrial wastewater represents one of the primary sources of contamination. These effluents often contain synthetic chemicals that are difficult to remove using conventional treatment processes, which were not designed to address such compounds. Many of these substances are toxic to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Among them are the so-called emerging pollutants—including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products, microplastics, and perfluorinated compounds—which are also present in domestic and commercial wastewater. Even at very low concentrations, these compounds can produce significant adverse effects. Despite regulatory advances in regions such as the European Union and the United States, these pollutants are not yet explicitly addressed within Mexican environmental regulations. 

In this context, developing efficient and environmentally sustainable wastewater treatment materials and processes has become an urgent priority to ensure access to clean water and protect ecosystems. Our project focuses on designing and evaluating innovative systems based on selective electrocatalytic surfaces capable of generating highly oxidizing chemical species for degrading toxic pollutants. These materials are integrated into electrochemical advanced oxidation systems with strong potential for treating complex wastewater and removing emerging contaminants. 

Specifically, we work with bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) surfaces, a promising semiconductor for the anodic production of H₂O₂ and other oxidizing species, whose formation depends on the chemical composition of the medium. When combined with carbon-based cathodes, these materials form highly efficient treatment systems based on the catalytic decomposition of H₂O₂ to generate powerful oxidants. Detailed results of this research will be published soon in specialized scientific journals.

Figure 1. Treatment system

 Elaborated by the authors

TRUST AND INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
While graduate students may ultimately focus their theses on specialized topics—such as Rodríguez-López’s analytical technique development or Olvera-Vargas’ materials and processes for H₂O₂ production—a shared motivation unites them: the desire to create technologies and generate knowledge that benefit humanity. Over years of teaching and research, we have observed that this aspiration transcends cultures and nationalities.

In addition to the UI System/UNAM Joint Research Partnership Program, collaboration has been strengthened through the Illinois Mexican and Mexican American Students Initiative (I-MMAS), which seeks to foster exchange between Mexico and the United States, particularly among students from Mexico and of Mexican descent. This environment also provides scientists, such Rodríguez-López, with opportunities to reconnect with their cultural roots. Urbana-Champaign is a distinctly multicultural setting, and the project reflects this diversity, involving students from India, China, Mexico, and the United States.

Beyond the shared water management challenges faced by Mexico and the United States as neighboring countries, there is a global recognition of water’s value, as emphasized in Goal 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 alongside the Paris Agreement. Science, guided by universal principles and motivations, reminds us that solving a problem in North America contributes to addressing similar challenges elsewhere in the world. Our collective experiences in these diverse contexts provide multiple perspectives, skills, and approaches to tackling complex issues. Working to solve water-related challenges transcends cultural boundaries and demonstrates how addressing fundamental chemical questions—even at the molecular scale—can generate global impact.

TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC POLICY
The work of both researchers in electrochemistry applied to energy and environmental challenges has direct social implications. It contributes to the development and promotion of technologies aimed at community well-being. Our research addresses two strategic pillars of sustainable development: energy supply in the context of the energy transition and strengthening water security—both essential for public health protection and ecosystem preservation.

Although our work primarily focuses on fundamental laboratory-scale research, the materials, techniques, and processes we develop are conceived with a clear applied perspective. Our goal is to advance systems with the potential to evolve into technologies that accelerate the transition toward more sustainable development models. A central principle guiding our research is prioritizing chemical methods that make use of relatively simple substances—including components present in the air we breathe—while minimizing undesirable byproducts. In doing so, we aim to ensure that proposed solutions are not only scientifically robust but also safe, scalable, and broadly implementable.

Furthermore, our studies on water pollution and remediation can provide a solid scientific foundation for public policies aimed at regulating emerging contaminants, which pose significant public health risks and remain insufficiently addressed in Mexico’s environmental framework.

Left: Hugo Olvera-Vargas (IER-UNAM), Aditi Prasad (UIUC doctoral student), and Joaquín Rodríguez-López at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2025).
Right: Blanca Diana García Morales (IER-UNAM master’s student) at the symposium “Recent Advances on Sustainable Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) for the Environment,” held during the International Congress of the Mexican Chemical Society, Monterrey, 2025.

 Hugo Olvera Vargas

LOOKING AHEAD: SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES 
In the United States, a common analogy for structures that facilitate the flow of students between institutions is that of a “pipeline.” This metaphor aptly reflects our work in water research. Establishing a bidirectional pipeline is essential for exchanging technological resources and creative approaches, thereby maximizing the impact of our studies. 

Our collaborative dynamics already demonstrate this benefit. A doctoral student from the University of Illinois (who is originally from India) visited Mexico for a conference on advanced oxidation processes for wastewater remediation and returned with a renewed perspective on her project and a commitment to explore chemical aspects she had not previously considered. Likewise, Hugo Olvera-Vargas visited Rodríguez-López’s laboratories in Illinois and received training in scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), a technique that can now benefit additional researchers and students at IER in Morelos. One of our goals is to multiply these multicultural and interdisciplinary experiences and share them with colleagues so they may be replicated and adapted across scientific fields. In this context, initiatives such as I-MMAS are crucial for consolidating and promoting institutional collaboration. 

THE ABILITY TO GENERATE NEW QUESTIONS AND OPEN UNEXPLORED AVENUES OF INQUIRY IS ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING OUTCOMES OF RESEARCH

There is also a technical and scientific legacy emerging from this project. We have identified mechanisms for generating reactive species that had not been previously considered. These discoveries encourage us not only to develop new water treatment methods but also to pose deeper questions about their underlying chemical principles. The ability to generate new questions and open unexplored avenues of inquiry is one of the most rewarding outcomes of research, and we look forward to sharing these advances with the broader scientific community through publications and technological developments.

Ultimately, our work contributes to a broader objective: advancing toward a world with improved water quality and sanitation, and preparing students to become scientists equipped to address the challenges of the future.

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