Food processing as the dominant contributor of phosphorus output in nearly half of China's regions

Abstract

Human activities have rapidly increased the one-way flow in phosphorus cycle, leading to concerns about resource depletion and eutrophication, making it necessary to comprehensively analyze the phosphorus flows in the socio-economic system. This study used substance flow analysis to create a phosphorus accounting framework for China's natural and artificial systems, tracking 110 flows of 137 products in 31 provinces in 2020. The results show that mining is the largest phosphorus output node in China, followed by the phosphorus chemical industry and food processing industry. However, the dominant industry sectors in almost half of the regions are the food processing industry. The two phosphorus loss hotspots in China are the Yangtze River Basin dominated by human activities and the western regions dominated by natural processes. Considering phosphorus utilization, China does not face a significant disadvantage when compared to developed countries. These conclusions can assist in efficient phosphorus categorization and management.