Developing innovative, circular solutions for wastewater treatment sludge

INCLUE Project Objectives

INCLUE will set up the first European doctoral training network on developing innovative, circular solutions for the treatment of sludge containing pollutants.

INCLUE will train 11 creative and entrepreneurially-minded DCs via an international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary research training program in the field of sludge pre-treatment combined with state-of-the-art bioconversion techniques and multi-level toxicity assessment, for the effective removal and/or recovery of both hazardous and valuable compounds from municipal and industrial sludges.

The success of the program is guaranteed via a unique combination of state-of-the-art PhD research, intersectoral secondments, international mobility and interdisciplinary platform-wide courses.

Research Objectives

Develop and optimise sustainable techniques to enhance the properties and composition of sludge through removal of (in)organic pollutants to eliminate any adverse effects for sludge application (i) in a subsequent bioconversion process or (ii) directly as a fertiliser on land.

Develop augmented fermentative bioconversion processes to produce renewable chemicals and fuels, and to recover nutrients from municipal and industrial sludges, potentially combined with pre-treatment technologies.

Create tools to assess the overall environmental performance of treated sludges towards toxicity, pollutant soil dynamics and agricultural
fertilising value in a combined decision support tool (WP3) for 5 different types of pollutants: pesticides, endocrine disrupting compounds, heavy metals, PFAS and antibiotics. Develop a socio-economic evaluation tool, to support decision-making and societal acceptance.

INCLUE: an interdisciplinary project and a truly intersectoral and international consortium

INCLUE RESEARCH FOCUS

WP1

Upgrading sludge properties via innovative treatment processes

WP2

Renewable chemicals and fuels production via augmented sludge bioconversion

WP3

Eco-Impact Assessment

News & Blog

Organizing IWA YWP BeNeLux 2026 Conference: Bringing Together Young Water Professionals Across the Region

September 4, 2026

We are proud to announce that Tiago Martins (DC3) is part of the Organising Committee of the IWA YWP BeNeLux 2026 Conference, an event that aims to connect young water professionals, researchers, utilities, technology providers, and industry experts from across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. As an INCLUE PhD Candidate, he has focused on water treatment, sludge treatment, resource recovery, and circular water management. Through both research and industry experience, he has seen firsthand how collaborations between different sectors are essential to addressing the complex water challenges of today and

My secondment at KU Leuven

August 18, 2026

I have spent two wonderful weeks at the KU Leuven working alongside my colleague from the INCLUE project, Francisco. I’ve been very warmly welcomed both into the lab and outside of it. The people I shared the office with as well as those that feasted with me once the arduous day’s labour was complete were the ones who made the whole experience beyond pleasurable. With the patience of a sage and a sense of humour of a tired millennial, Francisco was a wonderful mentor and friend. He guided me through

When in Spain: WasteEng2026 Conference Participation

July 10, 2026

In the week of the 7th to 10th of July, I had the honour to participate in the WasteEng2026 conference in my home city, A Coruña (Spain). This conference, held biannually, gathers experts and professionals working in research and innovation in waste and biomass valorisation towards a sustainable transition, one of the main goals of the INCLUE Project. I gladly represented INCLUE in this conference together with DC9, my dear friend Erika Sinisgalli, who also exposed her research progress. In WasteEng2026 I had the pleasure to show my PhD progress

A Month at Watchfrog: Science, Adventure & Survival in France

July 8, 2026

I arrived in France expecting a focused research stay, but the month gave me far more scientific learning, cultural challenges, and memories I’ll carry forward. At Watchfrog, I worked on the REACTIV ecotoxicity assay using transgenic Japanese Medaka embryos. The experiment was concentration-dependent, testing sludge samples diluted down to 0.00625% and wastewater up to 0.625%. Watching these tiny embryos function as living biosensors for environmental health was one of the most interesting parts. It gave me valuable practical insights that directly connect to my ongoing PhD work on pollutant sensing

Sharing my research at the 2026 IWA Particle Separation Conference in Sapporo, Japan

July 3, 2026

Last week (20-24 June), I had the opportunity to represent our INCLUE project at the IWA Particle Separation Conference 2026, hosted by Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. The conference brought together researchers and professionals from around the world working on particle separation, resource recovery, water treatment, and related environmental technologies. During the conference, I presented my PhD work on metal electro-recovery from drinking water treatment sludge, a research topic that explores how electrochemical processes can contribute to resource recovery and circular water management. The presentation was delivered during

INCLUE(ded) at AD19 in Valencia: some insights on Biodegradation and Thermal Hydrolysis of Micropollutants

June 13, 2026

This week, the 19th International Water Association Anaerobic Digestion conference (IWA-AD19) took place in Valencia, Spain. It was an intense, enriching and exciting experience. The first day was dedicated to inspiring workshops on diverse topics (such as unlocking the potential of under-utilised waste streams, or lab-to-full-scale application of micro-aeration in AD), followed by a welcoming ceremony at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, a modern and elegant venue located in the modern Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències. Over the next three days, the conference featured