2026-04-20T01:52:18Zhttps://riubu.ubu.es/oai/requestoai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/110262025-11-05T01:05:31Zcom_10259_6168com_10259_5086com_10259_2604com_10259_4313col_10259_6169col_10259_4314
Vallejo García, Jorge Lucas
864
600
Hernández Ruiz, Raquel
277
600
0000-0001-5018-0845
Torija López, Alba
570ebd0f-1b98-4dc0-89e2-cf6b6950fd2e
600
Trigo López, Miriam
556
600
0000-0001-5948-1230
Ibeas Cortes, Saturnino
293
600
0000-0003-1831-5943
Gómez Cuadrado, Laura
928
600
0000-0002-4754-2582
Martel Martín, Sonia
790
600
0000-0001-9080-0877
Barros García, Rocío
787
600
0000-0002-0392-8504
Vallejos Calzada, Saúl
567
600
0000-0001-5522-6574
2025-11-04T09:27:11Z
2025-11-04T09:27:11Z
2025-11
2352-1864
https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11026
10.1016/j.eti.2025.104595
This work presents the development and evaluation of a multifunctional smart polymer (FNO₃)
for the extraction and detection of nitrates in drinking water. A total of 250 tap water samples
from various localities were analyzed, revealing nitrate concentrations that in some cases doubled
the legal limit (up to 100 mg⋅L⁻¹). FNO₃, composed of 49.75 mol% NNZA monomer with high
anion-exchange capacity, exhibited a maximum nitrate adsorption capacity (qmax) of
164 ± 5 mg⋅g⁻¹ , which is 3.6 times greater than that of commercial resins. The polymer
demonstrated significant swelling in water (~2014 ± 152 %) and incorporated a sensing functionality
via a fluorometric monomer, enabling visual detection when saturation occurs. Fluorescence
response studies yielded a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.26 mg⋅L⁻¹ and a limit of
quantification (LOQ) of 12.92 mg⋅L⁻¹ , values that are below the regulatory thresholds established
by European and Spanish legislation for nitrates in drinking water. The material was tested
through multiple adsorption-regeneration cycles using domestic saline solutions, maintaining
stable efficiency. Interference studies indicated that carbonates present in hard water partially
reduce adsorption effectiveness. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) identified the structural materials and
functional monomers as the main contributors to environmental impact, while reuse and polymer
application offer environmental benefits due to nitrate recovery. Additionally, in vitro toxicological
assays with HepG2 cells confirmed the absence of cytotoxicity, supporting the polymer’s
viability for safe water treatment applications.
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by all funders. Author S. Vallejos received Grant PID2023–147301OB-I00 and Grant 8138165958–165958–57–425 funded by MICIU/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER, EU. The financial support provided by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-European Regional Development Fund (FEDER, ERDF) and Regional Government of Castilla y León -Consejería de Educación, Junta de Castilla y León- (BU025P23) is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the Regional Government of Castilla y León (Junta de Castilla y León) and by the Ministry of Science and Innovation MICIN and the European Union NextGenerationEU PRTR. This project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union under Grant Agreement Nº 101215633 - LIFE NITRAZENS. J. L. Vallejo-García received the grant PRE2021–09812 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by “ESF Investing in your future”. Author Saul Vallejos received grant BG22/00086 funded by Spanish Ministerio de Universidades.
application/pdf
eng
Elsevier
Environmental Technology & Innovation. 2025, V. 40, 104595
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2025.104595
Atribución 4.0 Internacional
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Nitrate removal
Nitrate detection
Ion exchange polymer
Resin
Smart polymers
Water treatment
Toxicity assessment
Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Fluorescent sensor
Polímeros
Polymers
Multifunctional smart polymers and citizen science for a comprehensive approach to nitrate pollution: Curative and preventive strategies
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Environmental Technology & Innovation
40
104595
THUMBNAIL
Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf.jpg
Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf.jpg
IM Thumbnail
image/jpeg
4788
https://riubu.ubu.es/bitstream/10259/11026/4/Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf.jpg
5fe930b381419ded269b4fe696f0ed84
MD5
4
LICENSE
license.txt
license.txt
text/plain; charset=utf-8
998
https://riubu.ubu.es/bitstream/10259/11026/3/license.txt
aa90105e1c90a1b4fe810649aa967b7d
MD5
3
CC-LICENSE
license_rdf
license_rdf
application/rdf+xml; charset=utf-8
908
https://riubu.ubu.es/bitstream/10259/11026/2/license_rdf
0175ea4a2d4caec4bbcc37e300941108
MD5
2
ORIGINAL
Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf
Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf
application/pdf
3722935
https://riubu.ubu.es/bitstream/10259/11026/1/Vallejo-eti_2025.pdf
ae4062277862c54a330870d0c7b18b19
MD5
1
10259/11026
oai:riubu.ubu.es:10259/11026
2025-11-05 02:05:31.121
Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
bubrep@ubu.es
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