Stimuli-Responsive Nano Hydrogels for Sustainable Water Pollution Reduction: A Comprehensive Review of Design, Performance, and Industrial Translation
نویسندگان
1 Faculty of Pharmacy, Jabir Ibn Hayyan University for Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Najaf Ashraf
2 Forensic Science Department, College of Science, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
3 Department of Chemistry, College of Education, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
4 Department of Chemistry, College of Education, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
5 Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
doi
10.22052/JNS.2026.01.051چکیده
Water is getting polluted by variety of contaminants coming from both natural and man-made sources. Water shortage and pollution by variety of pollutants pose serious threat to 21st century challenges inadequately addressed by conventional treatment technologies. This review examines stimuli-responsive “smart” hydrogels as effective materials for water purification, offering unprecedented advantages through reversible physicochemical transitions triggered by environmental stimuli. Functionalized hydrogels revealed nearly 3-8 fold higher adsorption capacities when compared with traditional adsorbent as carbon along with reduction in regeneration energy use upto 10%. The review highlights removal efficiencies exceeding 95% for priority pollutants including heavy metals, dyes, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics. Critical engineering challenges are addressed-mechanical stability, fouling resistance, and scale-up complexities from laboratory to industrial scales. Techno-economic analyses reveal treatment costs of $0.008-0.50/m³, representing 30-60% cost reductions versus conventional methods when lifecycle considerations are incorporated. Life Cycle Assessment quantifies carbon footprints; biodegradability uses and novel end-of-life strategies.
