Contract number: 216/2020

Project duration: 25 Month

Project Type: PNIII-ERA NET – MANUNET

Contracting Authority: Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI)

Coordinator: National Institute for Research and Development for Chemistry and Petrochemistry – ICECHIM Project manager: dr. Mihaela (Badea) Doni –

Partners:

1. SC ECONIRV SRL, established in Drumul Sarmas No. 80A, district 1, 013593-Bucharest, Romania. Responsible ECONIRV SRL: Cristina Mitrea –
2. SC EPI SISTEM SRL, established in B-dul Brasovului nr. 145, 505600-Sacele, Brasov, Romania. Responsible EPI SISTEM: Petru Epure - 
3. METROHM DROPSENS S.L., established in Ed. CEEI, Parque Tecnológico de Asturias, 33428-Llanera, Asturias, SPAIN, Responsible METROHM DROPSENS SL: Pablo Fanjul Bolado – 

Romanian budget

250.000,00 Euro - Budget funds

25.700,00 Euro - Private co-funding

SUMMARY

NITRISENS aims to develop a method for manufacturing of a portable system for nitrite monitoring in soil based on an innovative electrochemical sensor inserted in a 3D printed soil solution extractor (lysimeter).

Needs addressed

The project addresses to the need of portable and cost­ effective systems for on ­field monitoring of pollution induced by the nitrification process occurred in soil. The nitrification consists in biological oxidation of the relatively immobile ammonium (NH₄⁺) to highly mobile nitrate, via nitrite. In agricultural systems which are based on chemical fertilizers, rapid and unregulated nitrification results in an inefficient N use by crops, increasing in this way the nitrogen (N) leakage and environmental pollution. The nitrite contamination of ground and surface waters represents the major concern associated with the nitrification process.

Specific objectives of the project are:

1. To manufacture of a new cost-­effective and robust SPE sensor integrated in a 3D­ printed soil solution extraction system for nitrite determination in soil;
2. To design and manufacture of a wireless portable detector for nitrite sensor determination in soil using the new nitrite sensors;
3. To demonstrate the functionality of the nitrite monitoring system for the fast and precise monitoring of nitrite in soil, as well as the soil nitrification process.

An integrated platform for in-­field measuring of nitrite directly in soil will be developed through NITRISENS project responding in this way to the urgent need of a tool for soil nitrification monitoring and controlling in real­ time.

Outcomes of NITRISENS project:

1. Innovative sensor for nitrite determination in soil solution;
2. Manufacture technology of the nitrite sensor integrated in a soil solution extractor;
3. Prototype of the portable wireless detector to be connected with novel sensing system;
4. Optimized method for nitrite monitoring directly in soil using the developed system based on the nitrite sensor integrated in a soil solution extractor

Benefits and market impact:

1. real-time monitoring of soil pollution;
2. reducing of amount of N ­fertilizers;
3. introducing on the market of cost­ effective tools for precision agriculture strategies;
4. widening the range of products of the SMEs involved in project;
5. increasing of the international collaboration.

This innovative system for real-­time nitrite sensing in soil will be used by the R&D companies involved in development of nitrification inhibitors, and by the end-­users from agriculture systems for monitoring the activity of the applied inhibitors. Also, this system is a valuable tool especially in greenhouses where is necessary to reduce the amount of N based ­fertilizers and in this way of the nitrite uptake from soil and the vegetables contamination with nitrite.

The proposed method for manufacturing of sensors integrated in soil solution extractors can be used for a range of other important compounds in soil inducing, in this way, a breakthrough in environmental pollution control and also in adopting the optimum agricultural strategies with the final aim of improving the quality of life.

Project

consortium - is a transnational one consisting of four partners from two countries, Romania and Spain. The project will be co­ordinated by ICECHIM, the

biggest R&D institute in chemistry field from Romania. Partners are a large company METROHM DROPSENS, which is based on DROPSENS company, a

very successful SME from Asturias, Spain and two ambitious SMEs from Romania EPI­SISTEM and ECONIRV. In consequence, through the NITRISENS project the first integrated platform for in­field measuring of nitrite directly in soil will be manufactured.