Phosphorus is essential to the growth of biological organisms, including both their metabolic and photosynthetic processes. Phosphorus occurs naturally in bodies of water mainly in the form of phosphate (i.e., a compound of phosphorus and oxygen)....

A phosphate is a salt that is prepared from orthophosphoric acid. Phosphates are usually sodium salts but can also include potassium, calcium, magnesium, and ammonium salts as well. The phosphates have a wide range of applications in the chemical...

A phosphate group is an ion that contains one phosphorous atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. It is typically derived from a phosphoric acid and is anionic, having a negative three charge. When a phosphate group is attached to an organic compound it is...

Pure phosphorus is rare in nature. It usually combines with oxygen to form phosphate ions or groups (PO 3- 4 ). Phosphates are considered organic when phosphate groups attach to carbon atoms or inorganic when phosphate ions associate with minerals such...

A phosphate, in inorganic chemistry, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Phosphates are important in biochemistry and...

Table 1 The Output of Phosphatic Fertilizers Year Output Over the previous (1000 tons) year, % 1980 2308 -- 1981 2508 8.7 1982 2537 1.2 1983 2666 5.1 1984 2360 -11.5 1985 1760 -25.4 1986 2340 33.3 1987 3259 39.3 1988 3692 13.3 1989...

U.S. marketable phosphate rock production for the 2002 crop year (July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002) decreased 16 percent to 31.1 Mt (34.3 million st) (at 63.8 percent bone phosphate of lime or BPL). In the 2001 crop year, 37.2 Mt (41...

China's environmental watchdog ordered factories polluting a scenic lake to stop production Tuesday, following an algae bloom that contaminated the drinking water supply for 2 million people.Foul-smelling blue-green algae on Lake Tai last month turned tap water yellow and smelly in Wuxi, a city on...

U.S. farmers are trying to increase corn production to meet growing demand for ethanol. Without enough fertilizer to help corn crops grow, farmers will not meet that demand.Rising demand for ethanol has led to a 15% rise in planned U.S. corn plantings, according to the...