Phosphate may be billions of years old; however, scientists have uncovered its recycling potential, making it more valuable today. Phosphorus is a mineral needed for the body to function. Not only does it contribute to all cellular processes, but it is primarily found in the bones, working hand in hand with calcium (Wickham, 2014). Phosphates are compounds that contain phosphorus and oxygen, being the backbones of DNA and RNA.
The elements’ prevalence dates back to Earth’s Beginnings. The making of Pangea is the result of large-scale amalgamation of continents and micro-continents, which started at the end of the Neoproterozoic with the formation of Gondwana. When tectonic plates collide, ancient marine seafloor fragments are lifted and revealed, exposing rocks that are rich in Phosphorus. (Nealon, 2017). Therefore, phosphorus is a sacred, finite resource.
A common use of Phosphate is Phosphate fertilizers, as the PO₄³⁻ in the rock reacts with Sulfuric acid to produce a Superphosphate fertilizer (Vallero, 2018). Additionally, Phosphorus is contained in beverages we know and love, such as sodas- the mineral aids in prolonging shelf life, elevating the flavour, and moisture. As individuals take in these sources of Phosphate, it ends up in sewage streams and as human waste. Recently, the average price has nearly tripled between 2005 and 2015 (Cid et al. 2018). But how can we reuse the consumed Phosphorus instead of mining for more?
Monitoring and measuring phosphorus is vital to successfully recycle it. Data demonstrate that 20 to 50% and 35 to 55% of eutrophication is from the contribution of Nitrate and Phosphate in water bodies (Akinnawo, 2023). To elucidate, Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate Hexahydrate (MgNH₄PO₄ ⋅ 6H₂O) is a Phosphate mineral (also known as struvite) found in urine. The mineral releases nutrients that can be potentially harmful to waterways by producing algae, etc. (Gonçalves et al. 2026). With this challenge, a study collected human urine before it was lost in wastewater and stored samples at ambient temperature (average 25ºC.) The characterization of the minerals was performed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), quantifying different phases in the crystalline structure. Alongside the XRD, nuclear magnetic resonance was used to study the chemical environment of the Phosphorus. It was found that struvite was the main Phosphorus-containing compound. While at neutral pH, it was uncovered that 61% of Phosphorus in the recovered material dissolved in water within 10 days, supporting its potential to be reused as a nutrient and that it can be recovered from this material. This study paved the way for nutrient recovery research.
Ultimately, when thinking of retrieving Phosphorus, understanding it’s value resulting from Pangea highlights the importance of resource recycling. Phosphorus recovery can reduce our dependence on mining and implement a cyclical process that reduces pollution in waterways and more.
References
Akinnawo, Solomon O. 2023. “Eutrophication: Causes, consequences, physical, chemical and biological techniques for mitigation strategies.” Environmental Challenges 12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667010023000574.
Cid, Clement A., Justin T. Jasper, and Michael R. Hoffman. 2018. “Phosphate Recovery from Human Waste via the Formation of Hydroxyapatite during Electrochemical Wastewater Treatment.” Environmental Science & Technology 52 (6): 3135–3142. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5871340/.
Gonçalves, Ricardo, Regiane Roque, Yuri Nariyoshi, Renata Estevam, and Honerio Coutinho de Jesus. 2026. “Struvite precipitation from source-separated human urine: mineralogical characterization, phosphorus release kinetics, and heavy metal safety assessment.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 33 (5): 1639–1651. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12901090/.
Nealon, Sean. 2017. “Extreme Phosphorus Scarcity and Its Grip on Ancient Life.” NASA Biology Institute. https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/articles/2017/2/16/extreme-phosphorus-scarcity-and-its-grip-on-ancient-life/index.html
Vallero, Daniel A. 2008. “Fundamentals of Air Pollution (Fourth Edition).” Air Pollution 313–355. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/monograph/abs/pii/B978012373615450011X.
Wickham, Erica. 2014. “Phosphorus Content in Commonly Consumed Beverages.” Journal of Renal Nutrition 24 (1): e1–e4. https://www.jrnjournal.org/article/s1051-2276(13)00181-7/fulltext
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