An independent academy that builds bridges between science, business and politics

The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) is an independent academy with a mission “...to promote engineering and economic sciences and the advancement of business and industry for the benefit of society.” We bring together leading engineers, economists, researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders in business and the public sector, who contribute generously to IVA’s operations through their intellectual capital and their engagement.

A meeting place for Sweden's future

IVA believes in humanity’s capacity to contribute positively to society through the engineering and economic sciences. We run a number of projects and programmes, produce reports, knowledge bases and policy proposals, and organise open seminars and meetings nationwide. We also recognise and encourage the efforts of others by awarding distinctions and grants.

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Sensor for smarter wastewater treatment

Sensor for smarter wastewater treatment

Nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen cause eutrophication, and new EU regulations increase the need for efficient treatment and recovery. We develop a real-time sensor enabling smarter, more resource-efficient control of biological processes.

Year:

2026

University:

Chalmers University of Technology

Responsible Researcher:

Oskar Modin, Ph.D., Britt-Marie Wilén, Ph.D., Frank Persson, Ph.D., Veronica Gast, Ph.D., Torsten Wik, Ph.D., Therese Areskoug, M.Sc., Karin Sundström, M.Sc., Susanne Tumlin, M.Sc.

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Wastewater treatment plants lack real-time information on biodegradable organic matter – a key parameter for efficient phosphorus and nitrogen removal. As a result, process control is based on an incomplete picture of the system state, which can lead to unnecessary use of energy and chemicals. Our sensor measures in real time how much biodegradable organic material is available to microorganisms, enabling dynamic adaptation of process operation. The result is more stable processes, lower energy consumption, and improved opportunities for resource recovery, particularly phosphorus. The technology is currently being tested at pilot scale and has the potential to become an important tool for circular and climate-neutral wastewater treatment.