Phosphorus

Phosphorus (P) — 10-Year Trends

As of 2026-09-11 · the last 10 years

Research intensity has declined steadily over the last decade, falling from about 59% of the element's all-time peak in 2016 to about 42% in 2026, with the all-time peak (1964) lying before this window.

Research intensity ran from about 59% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 42% in 2026 — a steady decline, and the all-time peak (1964) lies before this window. Over the same span its share of research attention across all elements fell. Among the 118 elements, phosphorus has a larger-than-average research literature.

The number of papers involving the element rose from about 137,607 in 2016 to about 275,039 in 2025 (2.0x). That matches the growth of the literature as a whole over the same years: the general tide of scientific output, not a surge specific to the element.

The core of phosphorus research remains anchored in agriculture and soil science. The community focused on Phosphorus Cycling, Fertilization, and Soil Dynamics examines phosphorus availability, uptake, and fractions in soil, focusing on fertilizer management and nutrient dynamics rather than nitrogen processes. Phosphorus is one strand of a broader community, with about 26% of its papers involving the element. This group holds a steady share of about 35% of the element's recent research. A key anchor is the 2018 paper "Estimation of Available Phosphorus in Soils by Extraction with Sodium Bicarbonate," cited over 10,000 times, which remains a foundational method in the field.

A second major area is Phosphorus Removal and Recovery in Water Treatment, where papers focus on stripping phosphorus from water and sediments, and recovering it as a resource, rather than general pollutant removal. Here, phosphorus is a minor presence in a much larger community, with about 9% of its papers involving the element. This community holds a steady share of about 10% of the element's recent research. A notable recent contribution is the 2023 paper "Eutrophication: Causes, consequences, physical, chemical and biological techniques for mitigation strategies," cited over 570 times.

The third material community, Black Phosphorus Quantum Dots and 2D Nanosheets, focuses on synthesizing and characterizing few-layer black phosphorus, phosphorene, and quantum dots, distinct from the broader transition metal dichalcogenide community. Phosphorus is one strand of this broader community, with about 16% of its papers involving the element. However, this area is declining, with its share of the element's research falling from about 19% in the earlier period to about 8% in the current period. A recent high-impact paper from this group is the 2025 study "High-sensitivity, high-speed, broadband mid-infrared photodetector enabled by a van der Waals heterostructure with a vertical transport channel," cited over 150 times.

Overall, the composition of phosphorus research has shifted slightly toward soil and water management, while the share of work in advanced materials like black phosphorus has decreased. The remaining research, comprising about 47% of the element's recent work, is distributed across other smaller communities.

For a deeper look at the element's current standing, see the Last 12 Months and Executive Brief reports.