Essential Element
Phosphorus is an essential element to life, underpinning many critical biological processes and driving the productivity and sustainability of global food systems.
The Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center is a convergence research community of diverse and leading scientists that addresses the complex challenges in phosphorus sustainability by integrating disciplinary contributions across the physical, life, social, and economic sciences. The STEPS vision is to facilitate a 25% reduction in human dependence on mined phosphates and a 25% reduction in losses of point and non-point sources of phosphorus to soils and water resources within 25 years, leading to enhanced resilience of food systems and reduced environmental damage.
The STEPS Partnership Program
STEPS REU Program
STEPS will support 15 students for ten weeks during Summer 2026 through a multi-institutional Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.
Multi-institutional Research Experience
Convergence research through a collaborative cohort project.
Projects that align research and career interests.
A Roadmap to Phosphorus Sustainability
It`s National Postdoc Appreciation Week—and wow, we are so lucky to have so many incredible postdocs on the STEPS Center team! Look at all these amazing researchers. 🤩 They are critical to advancing our goals and helping us work in convergent ways. Thank you for all that you do for the STEPS Center! 👏
#NPAW26 #postdocs
❓If better soil testing gives farmers a clearer picture of legacy phosphorus in their fields, will they use less fertilizer? Standard intuition says yes—but our latest research reveals a more complicated story.
🚜 Decades of intensive fertilizer use have left large stocks of legacy phosphorus in cropland soils across the US. Yet, high fertilizer application persists. A long-held hypothesis suggests that farmers simply lack accurate information about their soil`s nutrient levels, and that enhanced soil testing would naturally lead to reduced application.
To test this, STEPS researchers developed the first dynamic economic analysis of soil nutrient testing using a "partial-observability Markov decision process." Parameterized with over a decade of corn field trial data from eastern North Carolina, the model accounts for fertilizer price volatility, farmer risk aversion, and time preferences.
Here is what the model revealed:
🧪At low soil phosphorus levels: Enhanced testing is highly valuable. It gives profit-maximizing farmers the precise data needed to tailor and optimize subsequent fertilizer inputs.
🌽 At high legacy phosphorus levels: Contrary to popular belief, enhanced testing does not reduce optimal fertilizer inputs.
The takeaway for policy:
If we want to reduce phosphorus runoff and environmental externalities, relying solely on improved soil testing won`t be a magic solution in areas with high legacy nutrient stocks. Effective agricultural policies must address the underlying economic incentives and risk factors driving farm-level decisions.
📄 Read the full study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajae.70095
#Phosphorus #SustainableAgriculture #AgEconomics #NSFfunded
Congratulations to STEPS Scholar Quintino Medi! This week, Quintino was presented with the Student Leadership award at the American Center for Life Cycle Analysis conference in San Diego, CA. Quintino also presented a poster on his research, comparative life cycle assessment of a variety of phophate field testing techniques. Kudos, Quintino!
🚨 New paper alert! 🚨
How can we safely neutralize toxic organophosphate pollutants without causing secondary environmental contamination? 🧪💧
In a new study published in ACS ES&T Engineering, STEPS researchers demonstrate a stable, hydrogel-based catalytic system designed for sustainable water remediation. Our team investigated how molybdate breaks down organophosphate (OP) compounds—which range from agricultural pollutants to chemical warfare agent simulants—and engineered a eco-friendly material for practical cleanup.
Key findings include:
⚡ A Milestone Discovery: The study reports the first-ever example of molybdate catalyzing the breakdown of DMNP (a chemical warfare agent simulant), opening new possibilities for toxic chemical neutralization.
🔬 Understanding the Mechanism: Using NMR spectroscopy, researchers uncovered how subtle differences in a pollutant`s molecular structure dictate how it interacts with the catalyst and operates across different pH levels.
🧽 A Scalable, Green Platform: To prevent metal toxicity from free molybdate in water, the team immobilized the active catalyst inside a hydrogel matrix. This hybrid material matched the rapid degradation rates of liquid catalysts while keeping the catalyst contained and reusable.
This innovative research provides a practical, scalable path forward.
We are proud of STEPS researcher Sergei Rigin for having the cover article in Macromolecules last month! 😍 His paper, “Mapping the Morphological Landscape of Dry Hydrophilic Brushes,” was authored with STEPS faculty Yara Yingling and Jan Genzer.
Dry polymer brushes are relevant to applications ranging from sensing and separation to environmental remediation, yet their morphology in the absence of solvent remains much less understood than that of solvated brushes.
In this study, they used coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to examine how chain length and grafting density shape the morphology of dry PEO brushes. They developed a phase diagram with three regimes, mushroom, crossover, and brush, and mapped how the structures evolve between them.
🔗 Read it: https://pubs.acs.org/mamobx/article/59/15/8768/5204953/Mapping-the-Morphological-Landscape-of-Dry
🅿️ in the News: NASA satellite research shows that dust from the African Sahara is a major phosphorus source for the Amazon rainforest—to the tune of thousands of tonnes per year! The work was the first satellite-based estimate of nutrient transport over the Atlantic, showing that the dust actually contains key nutrients for thriving plants in the Amazon.
🔍 Read the great sci comm piece about it here: https://spacedaily.com/t-sahara-dust-amazon-phosphorus/
🅿️ is important! It`s everywhere! Share fun news with us when you come across it. #phosphorus #nutrients #circulareconomy
Can we secure the future of U.S. agriculture while reducing our reliance on imported mineral fertilizers? A new study, "Opportunities to strengthen US phosphorus supply resilience through circular pathways" by STEPS researchers suggests the key might already be under our feet. 🌾♻️
Our team developed a comprehensive model tracking phosphorus (P) across 3,142 U.S. counties from 1866 to 2050, identifying three major pathways for circular phosphorus management:
🌱 Tap into Soil Reserves: Unlocking accumulated "residual" phosphorus already stored in cropland and pasture soils represents the single largest opportunity—potentially supplying 2.4 to 5.1 times the country`s projected mineral P demand through 2050.
🔄 Recycle Organic Waste: Recycling livestock by-products, crop residues, and sewage sludge could offset an additional 50% to 100% of mineral fertilizer needs.
🍎 Reduce Food Waste: Minimizing food waste alone could cut overall mineral phosphorus requirements by 30%.
The research also highlights a crucial spatial challenge: a geographic mismatch between where circular phosphorus is available (concentrated heavily in the South and West) and where crop demand is highest (the Midwest).
Achieving a resilient, sustainable food system will require targeted, locally tailored strategies to move recycled nutrients where they are needed most.
Becoming phosphorus-smart doesn`t have to be complicated. We’ve mapped out three simple ways to make your home more sustainable. Let’s protect our resources, one STEP(S) at a time!
#PhosphorusSustainability #SustainabilityAtHome #STEPSCenter
Congratulations to this incredible STEPS team on their latest achievement! Their collaborative research, "Fractionation and environmental assessment of legacy phosphorus from acidic, organic, and calcareous soils," has officially been published in Biogeochemistry.
This work represents a dive into the complexities of legacy phosphorus across diverse soil types, a critical step forward for phosphorus sustainability in soil science. We are so proud of the hard work and brilliant minds that went into this publication.
#STEPS #Phosphorus #SoilScience
Most people don’t think twice about what happens after they flush, but for STEPS scholar Dr. Lucas Crane, that’s where the real work begins.
Phosphorus is a finite resource essential for global food production, yet we let so much of it go down the drain. Listen to hear more about how Dr. Crane is proving that with the right technology, we can transform one of our most overlooked waste streams, human waste, into a powerhouse for global sustainability.
#STEPSCenter #Phosphorus #Sustainability
Could a "critical" label change the future of phosphorus?
A new article from the lab of Dr. Justin Baker explores how the recent critical mineral designation for phosphate rock shifts the focus toward supply chain resilience. Authors Justin Baker, Clarisse Owens, and Chanheung Cho discuss how this status could unlock new incentives for P-use efficiency and secondary recovery.
Read the full breakdown at https://loom.ly/LbZlTGc
#Phosphorus #CriticalMineral #STEPS
Congratulations to our very own Kailyn Harris-Gilliam! 🌟
Kailyn was recently recognized at the NC State 2026 College of Engineering Awards, taking home the Award for Excellence in Human Relations. As our Student Engagement Coordinator, she has gone above and beyond to create a welcoming, inclusive community for STEPS trainees across the country.
Thank you for everything you do to make the STEPS Center a success, Kailyn!
#STEPS
