Future Phosphorus: Advancing New 2D Phosphorus Allotropes and Growing a Sustainable Bioeconomy

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality 2019-09, Vol.48 (5), p.1145-1155
• Main Authors: Jarvie, Helen P., Flaten, Don, Sharpley, Andrew N., Kleinman, Peter J. A., Healy, Mark G., King, Stephen M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2D BlackP; two‐dimensional black phosphorus; 2D BlueP; two‐dimensional blue phosphorus; 2D, two‐dimensional; GHG, greenhouse gas; UV, ultraviolet
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2019.03.0135

With more than 40 countries currently proposing to boost their national bioeconomies, there is no better time for a clarion call for a “new” bioeconomy, which, at its core, tackles the current disparities and inequalities in phosphorus (P) availability. Existing biofuel production systems have widened P inequalities and contributed to a linear P economy, impairing water quality and accelerating dependence on P fertilizers manufactured from finite nonrenewable phosphate rock reserves. Here, we explore how the emerging bioeconomy in novel, value‐added, bio‐based products offers opportunities to rethink our stewardship of P. Development of integrated value chains of new bio‐based products offers opportunities for codevelopment of “P refineries” to recover P fertilizer products from organic wastes. Advances in material sciences are exploiting unique semiconductor and opto‐electrical properties of new “two‐dimensional” (2D) P allotropes (2D black phosphorus and blue phosphorus). These novel P materials offer the tantalizing prospect of step‐change innovations in renewable energy production and storage, in biomedical applications, and in biomimetic processes, including artificial photosynthesis. They also offer a possible antidote to the P paradox that our agricultural production systems have engineered us into, as well as the potential to expand the future role of P in securing sustainability across both agroecological and technological domains of the bioeconomy. However, a myriad of social, technological, and commercialization hurdles remains to be crossed before such an advanced circular P bioeconomy can be realized. The emerging bioeconomy is just one piece of a much larger puzzle of how to achieve more sustainable and circular horizons in our future use of P. Core Ideas Society's vision for a more circular economy must go beyond the C cycle to include P. Some biofuel systems have widened P inequalities and contributed to a linear P economy. New bioeconomy in bio‐based products offers an opportunity to rethink P stewardship. A circular bioeconomy requires efficient P reuse, recovery, and recycling from waste. New 2D P allotrope technologies offer a potential antidote to our current P “paradox.”