A research team at Sultan Qaboos University, in collaboration with experts from Tunisia and France, has developed a novel material capable of efficiently removing phosphorus from wastewater—an achievement that could significantly contribute to sustainable water treatment and nutrient recovery.
The study, published in Materials, explores how natural Omani magnetite—a mineral-rich material found in local deposits—can be chemically enhanced into a powerful tool for environmental cleanup. The researchers transformed the raw mineral by coating it with ferrihydrite and modifying it with lanthanum, a rare earth element known for its high affinity with phosphorus.
The most effective version of the material, containing 15% lanthanum, demonstrated a phosphorus adsorption capacity of 34.5 mg per gram in lab experiments—significantly outperforming many existing engineered alternatives. When tested on real wastewater samples, it still achieved a high recovery rate of 27.3 mg per gram.
Our goal was to develop an eco-friendly, low-cost, and efficient material using natural resources available in Oman
Dr. Salah Jellali
“Our goal was to develop an eco-friendly, low-cost, and efficient material using natural resources available in Oman,” said Dr. Salah Jellali, the corresponding author of the study. “These results are promising for both environmental protection and phosphorus recycling.”
The materials showed enhanced structural and chemical properties, including increased surface area and reactive sites. Phosphorus removal was facilitated by both physical adsorption and chemical bonding, involving mechanisms such as electrostatic interactions and complexation with hydroxyl groups.
Phosphorus pollution, often caused by fertilizer runoff and industrial waste, is a leading cause of water quality degradation. Recovering it not only mitigates environmental risks but also contributes to the circular economy by enabling its reuse in agriculture.
The authors suggest that future work should include testing under dynamic conditions, such as continuous flow reactors, to evaluate real-world performance and scalability.
This study highlights the growing importance of low-cost, nature-based innovations in environmental research and positions Omani mineral resources as valuable contributors to global sustainability efforts.
Read the full article here:
“Synthesis of Lanthanum-Modified Natural Magnetite: Characterization and Valorization for Phosphorus Recovery from Aqueous Solutions” – Materials, Vol. 18, Article No. 2283, May 2025.
