| Abstract Scope |
Phosphorus (P) is key nutrient in fertilizers. Yet it is sourced from non-renewable resources, is inefficiently utilized, and accumulates in terrestrial systems such as soils and freshwater resources, causing harmful algal blooms and fish kills. Current technologies for removing environmental P are insufficient and have ill-defined impacts. For example, P can be scavenged from water with PhoslockŪ particles, but the long-term fate of P and La in the environment is unknown. Here, we introduce results from systematic immersion experiments of inorganic materials (e.g., metal oxides and carbonates) in synthetic and real wastewater aqueous matrices. Mechanisms of P capture are elucidated using interrupted XRD and TEM experiments. We will also introduce a recently-funded NSF Science and Technology Center, the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center. STEPS is a convergence research center that addresses challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. |