Researchers Develop Method For Reclaiming Wastewater Phosphorus, Improving Soil

In what could be a major victory in the wastewater war against nutrient pollution, cutting-edge research is now making it possible to recycle phosphorus from influent and put it to good use for farmers.

“Scientists have taken a pollutant phosphorus from wastewater and infused it into a soil superfood called biochar to really ‘close the loop’ on several widespread agricultural practices,” Good News Network reported. “The biochar itself is made from incinerated organic material inside an oxygen-deprived environment, turning it into a charcoal that acts like an underground rainwater sponge that also delivers the necessary phosphorus and other nutrients for plant growth.”