The article “Accelerating innovative water treatment in Latin America” highlights the need for innovative solutions to treat water pollution in Latin America. The article reviews recent advances in chemical oxygen demand (COD) determination methods, including non-electrochemical and electrochemical approaches. Electrochemical methods have gained popularity due to their high sensitivity and selectivity. The review covers the use of boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes, titanium dioxide (TiO2), and other semiconductor materials in COD determination.
The article also discusses the use of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and photocatalysis in water treatment. AOPs are chemical processes that use oxidizing agents to break down pollutants, while photocatalysis uses light to accelerate chemical reactions. The article highlights the use of BDD electrodes and TiO2 in AOPs and photocatalysis applications.
The authors also review the use of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to drive electrochemical water treatment processes. The article concludes by highlighting the need for further research on innovative water treatment technologies, including electrochemical and AOP approaches, to address the global water pollution challenge.