Popular at IFAT trade fair 2026: AI, activated carbon and PFAS-removal

At the 2026 edition of IFAT trade fair, water technology exhibitors from all over the world showed their latest products and services. The fair highlighted the growing complexity of treatment processes and how AI helps with stricter discharge limits, greater energy savings and resource recovery. Catching the eye of many visitors were the growing number of activated carbon suppliers and the latest technologies to separate and destroy PFAS. A short review.

IFAT 2026 took place in Munich from May 4–7 and. According to the organizers, the environmental trade fair attracted over 142,000 visitors from 160 different countries. The dedicated halls with exhibitors in the field of water treatment were very popular and at times difficult to get through. The ageing water infrastructure in Western Europe needs replacement and large investments are looming. For Germany alone, as mentioned several times at IFAT, investments are estimated at 900 billion euro’s in the next decades.

Iran war

During the opening ceremony on May 4^th, European Commissioner Jessika Roswall advocated a water-smart Europe with digital metering, reduction of water leakage and more water reuse. Roswall called upon the gathered European water sector to maximise resource recovery from wastewater and to secure the conversion to green energy. On the trading floor, the talks were about the effects of the Iran war. Many customers in the water sector were reluctant to invest because rising energy prices may affect their operations. The talk amongst the exhibitors was about the best place in the world to have components produced.

Suppliers are joining forces

This year’s edition of IFAT again showed renowned suppliers of water technologies joining forces. The growing awareness of water problems, is quickly expanding the water technology market all over Europe. This encourages suppliers to strengthen their position on the European market and cluster their activities in groups of suppliers. One of the biggest booths was by German Aqseptance Group, that includes well-known brands such as Noggerath (screens and sludge treatment) and Passavant (separators and sludge treatment). Also remarkable was Austrian Newport GmbH, that offers a mix of technologies and partners with local contractors. At IFAT, the company offered the combination of the biological municipal wastewater treatment system Biocos and the sludge system Indense. The combination allows a small footprint, high energy efficiency and high phosphorus removal.

Upcoming AI

As energy costs soar and water quality standards become increasingly stringent, operators of water treatment processes find themselves more often in conflicting situations. The exhibitors at IFAT were aware of this and offered the assistance of AI tools for maintaining control under changing circumstances. An additional advantage according to the suppliers is that fewer operators are needed.

Autonomously controlled WWTP’s

Dutch-based Nijhuis Saur Industries offered even autonomous controlled water treatment plants. They partnered with the Singapore company BlueNexus that is fully specialized in AI. BlueNexus offers automated process control for many different water technologies. Nijhuis Saur Industries integrated this AI layer in their i-Waterhub concept that was launched at IFAT. The concept builds on standard modules for industrial water treatment. The modules can easily be changed in case newer technologies are preferred, or more modules can be added when more capacity is required.

Additional wastewater treatment

The growing number of exhibitors at IFAT that offer activated carbon, shows the effectiveness of this adsorbent for treatment of drinking water and municipal wastewater. Activated carbon is increasingly being used to remove micropollutants such as medicine residues and PFAS. At larger WWTPs the use of activated carbon increases the CO2 footprint. Exhibitors also offered new advanced oxidation technologies. A number of them, like Huber, Veolia, Xylem, NX Filtration and Royal Haskoning, offer advanced treatment technologies that can produce effluent that is clean enough for reuse, even as drinking water.

PFAS removal and destruction

The visitors at IFAT were especially interested in new treatment technologies to concentrate, separate, and destroy PFAS. The first providers of the entire process, such as Oxyle and Nijhuis Saur Industries, presented new concepts. At the stand of the German research institute Fraunhofer, a scale model was on display demonstrating the use of an ion exchange resin capable of removing PFAS from wastewater. Fraunhofer is currently testing the possibility of regenerating the saturated resin on-site.

In addition to removing PFAS from water, the development of technologies for destroying PFAS is also progressing. For instance, the American company Claros demonstrated their experience with the use of UV. Particularly, noteworthy at the stand with start-ups was the Swiss company Cellx, which is working on the biological degradation of PFAS. Cellx has found bacterial species capable of breaking down the strong fluorocarbon compounds. The company is still looking for an optimal composition of bacterial species to handle the many different PFAS compounds under varying conditions.