Phosphate << FOS fayt >> is any chemical compound that contains the phosphate group. The phosphate group consists of one phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms.
In living organisms, cells use compounds containing phosphates to store and release energy. Phosphates are also part of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid), the substances that determine a cell’s form and function. In addition, the phosphate mineral hydroxyapatite is an important part of bones and teeth.
There are large amounts of natural phosphates. They occur in phosphate rocks and in the remains of organisms. The main commercial sources of phosphate rock include deposits in China, Morocco, Russia, and the United States. Processors use most phosphate rock to produce fertilizers. They crush the rock to make dry fertilizers. They make superphosphate, a liquid fertilizer that acts much faster than the pulverized rock, by treating the crushed rock with sulfuric acid.
At one time, phosphates were widely used in the manufacture of detergents. The phosphates help remove dirt and soften hard water. Unfortunately, detergents in waste water carry phosphates into lakes and streams, where the compounds cause algae to multiply. As the algae die, the process of their decay uses up oxygen needed by fish and other aquatic life. This problem led some U.S. cities and states to ban phosphate detergents.
