What is a main storage pool for phosphorus?

Answer 1

The question "what is a main storage pool for phosphorous" is a leading and ambiguous question that additionally assumes a container referred to as a (if the 'container' assumption is correct) "storage pool". This question requires work as well as a clear definition of terms. What is a storage pool? Is the fact that phosphorus is never encountered in it's pure form of any relevance?

That said, Phosphorous is a solid, nonmetallic element existing in at least three allotropic forms, one that is yellow, poisonous, flammable, and luminous in the dark, one that is red, less poisonous, and less flammable, and another that is black, insoluble in most solvents, and the least flammable. The element is used in forming smoke screens, its compounds are used in matches and phosphate fertilizers, and it is a necessary constituent of plant and animal life in bones, nerves, and embryos. Symbol: P; atomic weight: 30.974; atomic number: 15; specific gravity: (yellow) 1.82 at 20°C, (red) 2.20 at 20°C, (black) 2.25-2.69 at 20°C.

In the natural world phosphorous is never encountered in its pure form, but only as phosphates, which consists of a phosphorous atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. This can exists as the negatively charged phosphate ion (PO43-), which is how it occurs in minerals, or as organophosphates in which there are organic molecules attached to one, two or three of the oxygen atoms.

In water, white phosphorus will not be reacting with other particles quickly as it does in soil and air and as a result it accumulates in the bodies of aquatic organisms, both plant and animal species. In soil phosphorus can remain for several days before it is converted into less harmful substances naturally by normal chemical processes. In deep soils however, and the bottom of rivers and lakes phosphorus may remain for a thousand years or so.

Many phosphate minerals exist. Apatite is the most abundant. Fluoroapatite contains the phosphates deposits that are most extensively mined, primarily in Russia, USA, Tunisia, Morocco, Togo and Nauru. The worlds total of 153 million tons are mined each year.

So, what is a main storage pool for phosphorus? Fertilizer? Considering that 90% of all mined phosphorus is used in fertilizer, perhaps that is the answer. Aquatic plants and organisms? Phosphorus accumulates underwater in aquatic species where it is safe from natural combining processes that destroy it. In deep water and soils? Phosphorus can accumulate and remain for thousands of years in deep soils and water. In Fluoroapatite? Phosphorus is produced from phosphors and does not exist naturally. It must be mined as fluoroapatite and extracted as phosphors, then converted. So which is it? . . . In people and other mammals? If one considers that phosphorous collects in urine, and in fact that is is there it was first discovered, are we the storage pools, along with all other mammals? In munitions? Another view may consider the worlds military supply of white phosphorus (WP or Willie Peter in the American Military) as used in weaponry to be abundant enough that it can be considered a storage pool (and many hope it will continue to be stored, not utilized)

Additionally, consider what the term "Storage pool" means. As taken in the usual sense, is a place where something is kept, generally in abundant supply or as a working and complete group, or in mass, often naturally, to be retained until needed for use. Since phosphors, once mined and extracted as white phosphorus, will readily combine with oxygen and immediately begin to dissipate in flames, it is stored under water, usually in containers, until utilized in fertilizer production. Does this mean, In containers under water? is the correct answer?

Perhaps this question was a bit more difficult that expected and this is not the answer desired, but questions with embedded assumptions may require and/or receive more than expected within a complete and considered response.

John M. Cook