Innovating Sustainable Water Systems
Sustain-R is an EU-funded research project focused on nutrient recovery and aquatic ecosystem restoration.
Why Sustain-R?
Nutrient pollution from excess nitrogen and phosphorus is one of the greatest threats to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. It leads to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and the loss of biodiversity – all of which compromise water quality and the services ecosystems provide to society.
Conventional treatment methods often fail to recover these valuable nutrients or to restore ecological balance in a sustainable way.
Sustain-R was established to change this. By combining advanced technologies, pilot-scale testing, and ecological assessments, the project seeks to demonstrate how nutrient recovery and system restoration can go hand-in-hand, delivering both environmental health and practical resources for agriculture and communitie
What We Aim to Achieve
Sustain-R aims to create sustainable solutions for nutrient recovery and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Through innovative technologies and collaborative research, the project addresses the challenges of water quality, biodiversity, and resource reuse.
Implement Nutrient Cycling
Excess nitrogen and phosphorus, which often end up polluting rivers and lakes, can instead be captured and transformed into useful resources. Sustain-R explores advanced methods such as Capacitive Deionization and electrocatalytic devices to recover these nutrients and convert them into fertilizers or decentralized ammonia. By doing so, the project not only reduces pollution but also strengthens the circular economy in agriculture.
Aquatic System Restoration
Healthy aquatic ecosystems are essential for biodiversity and human well-being. Sustain-R uses pilot systems like Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) to test real-world strategies for nutrient removal and water purification. By tackling eutrophication and improving water clarity, the project helps restore balance to rivers, lakes, and coastal systems.
Strengthening Ecosystem Services
When ecosystems are restored, they provide essential services — from clean drinking water and flood regulation to recreational and cultural value. Sustain-R emphasizes not just the scientific process of recovery, but also the broader impact on communities, ensuring long-term resilience for both people and nature.
How We Work
Sustain-R combines scientific innovation with practical, real-world testing. By integrating advanced water treatment technologies, pilot-scale systems, and ecological assessments, the project develops solutions that are not only effective in the lab but also scalable for wider application.
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Using Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) as Test-Beds
RAS provide a controlled, real-world environment to trial nutrient recovery methods. By working with aquaculture systems, Sustain-R can assess how technologies perform under conditions where nutrient imbalances directly affect water quality and aquatic life.
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Pilot Testing of Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR)
SBRs are used to demonstrate biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Through pilot-scale trials with both synthetic and real water samples, the project validates solutions that can be scaled up to larger aquatic systems.
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Electrocatalytic & CDI Technologies
Innovative tools like Capacitive Deionization (CDI) and membrane-free electrocatalytic devices are at the heart of Sustain-R. These technologies enable the selective recovery of nutrients, converting pollutants into valuable resources such as fertilizers and decentralized ammonia.
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Ecosystem Health Assessments
Scientific discovery is matched with ecological evaluation. Sustain-R measures improvements in biodiversity, water clarity, and ecosystem services to ensure that technological solutions truly support environmental restoration and resilience.
Have a Question?
We’d be happy to hear from you. Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, or simply curious about our work, feel free to reach out to the Sustain-R team.