In the natural environment, a complex interworking between organisms, metals/nutrients, and minerals is pervasive. Biogeochemical reactions at mineral-water interfaces are the basis for many important natural and engineering processes at the food, energy, and water nexus (FEWS). Understanding the molecular scale kinetics and mechanisms of these interfacial reactions has important implications for nutrient (re)cycling. This talk uses phosphorus (P) as an example to highlight the importance of interface processes. P is an essential nutrient that is critical for food production thus sustainable development of human society. However, the geological occurrence of minable phosphate rocks is limited, and current human utilization of P fertilizers is rather inefficient. Fundamental understanding of both geological and anthropogenic P cycles is needed for the development of efficient P utilization and recovery strategies at FEWS. This talk will discuss the geological cycling of complex P species, as well as the anthropogenic P cycle in the context of resource recovery from biological wastes, all together aiming toward sustainable waste management and agriculture fertilization.<br/>

Toward a molecular scale understanding of nutrient (re)cycling

255th National Meeting (2018)

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