2026-10-13T12:04:40Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34037299 2026-10-01T00:09:08Z category_146 category_7 category_272 category_873 category_39 category_734 portal_63 item_type_6 month_year_10_2026

Multiple Benefits of Deploying Wastewater Phosphorus Recovery Strategies in China: A Spatially Explicit Scenario Assessment Zijie Tang (4111330) Yuanyuan Chen (165812) Yiyang Zou (17446158) Yijin Lu (25147111) Baojing Gu (1797859) Space Science Medicine Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified level data covering influenced scenario outcomes identified land use finite mineral resources effective strategy capable 9 %), concentrated 190 mt p 146 mt p 049 mt p recovery could rise recovering p waterborne pollution wastewater offers using city synergistic triple strategic pathway specific efficiencies sludge treatment regional heterogeneity recovery pathways key correlates integrated co implementation relative food security findings provide environmental protection economic returns current baseline constraints simultaneously 600 cities Phosphorus (P) management faces dual pressures from finite mineral resources and waterborne pollution. Recovering P from wastewater offers a strategic pathway to alleviate both constraints simultaneously, yet systematic evaluations remain scarce, particularly with respect to recovery pathways, regional heterogeneity, and integrated co-benefits. Using city-level data covering more than 600 cities, we quantified wastewater P flows and recovery potential across China. In 2022, 0.049 Mt P was recovered (21.9%), concentrated in eastern and northeastern China. We identified land use, technology investment, and sewage-sludge treatment as key correlates of recovery, while agronomic and technology-specific efficiencies most influenced scenario outcomes. Under the sewage sludge ash recovery scenario, recovery could rise by 288% to 0.190 Mt P, offsetting up to 6.6% of annual cropland P fertilizer demand while generating approximately USD 356 million. Average waterborne P discharge would decline by 30% during implementation relative to the Current baseline, with the 2030 value reaching 0.146 Mt P. These findings provide a robust quantitative basis demonstrating that wastewater P recovery represents a cost-effective strategy capable of delivering a synergistic triple-win for food security, environmental protection, and economic returns. 2026-09-30T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 10.1021/acs.est.6c05718.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Multiple_Benefits_of_Deploying_Wastewater_Phosphorus_Recovery_Strategies_in_China_A_Spatially_Explicit_Scenario_Assessment/34037299 CC BY-NC 4.0