 |
|
Diatoms discovered to remove phosphorus from oceans
May 05, 2008Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered a new way that phosphorus is naturally removed from the oceans - its stored in diatoms. The discovery opens up a new realm of research into an element that's used for reproduction, energy storage and structural materials in every organism. Its understanding is vital to the continued quest to understand the growth of the oceans. The research appears in the May 2, 2008 edition of the journal Science.
Ellery Ingall, associate professor in Georgia Tech's School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, along with Ph.D. student Julia Diaz, collected organisms and sediments along an inlet near Vancouver Island in British Columbia. During their investigation on the boat, Diaz used a traditional optical microscope to discover that diatoms, microscopic organisms that live in oceans and damp surfaces, were storing blobs of very dense concentrations of phosphorus called polyphosphates.
"These polyphosphates have been missed in classic studies because they haven't been recovered by the typical measurement techniques," said Ingall. "No one measured or treated the samples because no one knew they were there - they didn't even think to look for it."
For a long time, scientists have been unable to account for the difference in the amount of phosphorus that's in the oceans and the amount that's washed in from rivers.
"We're getting the initial clues as to how this phosphorus gets to the bottom of the oceans," said Diaz. "These diatoms are sinking from the top to the bottom of the ocean, and as they're sinking, they're transporting the phosphorus in the form of intracellular polyphosphate."
After making their initial discovery, the team made another. They went to Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago to delve deeper and found that some of the blobs were polyphosphate, some were a mineral known as apatite, and some were a transitional material between the two.
Now that they've proved a link between polyphosphate and apatite, they're next step is to try and capture the chemical transition between the two by running controlled experiments in the lab.
The Georgia Institute of Technology
For a long time, scientists have been unable to account for the difference in the amount of phosphorus that's in the oceans and the amount that's washed in from rivers.
"We're getting the initial clues as to how this phosphorus gets to the bottom of the oceans," said Diaz. "These diatoms are sinking from the top to the bottom of the ocean, and as they're sinking, they're transporting the phosphorus in the form of intracellular polyphosphate."
After making their initial discovery, the team made another. They went to Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago to delve deeper and found that some of the blobs were polyphosphate, some were a mineral known as apatite, and some were a transitional material between the two.
Now that they've proved a link between polyphosphate and apatite, they're next step is to try and capture the chemical transition between the two by running controlled experiments in the lab.
The Georgia Institute of Technology
Phosphorus Current Events and Phosphorus News RSSLet them eat snail
A nutritionist in Nigeria says that malnutrition and iron deficiency in schoolchildren could be reduced in her country by baking up snail pie.
Iron controls patterns of nitrogen fixation in the Atlantic
Scientists including researchers from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton and the University of Essex have discovered that interactions between iron supply, transported through the atmosphere from deserts, and large-scale oceanic circulation control the availability of a crucial nutrient, nitrogen, in the Atlantic.
Wolves, moose and biodiversity: An unexpected connection
Moose eat plants; wolves kill moose. What difference does this classic predator-prey interaction make to biodiversity?
Expert to Discuss Phosphorus' Impact on Gulf 'Dead Zone'
Phosphorus is an essential element in production agriculture, however fertilizer runoff and wastewater discharge have led to massive eutrophication problems in water bodies worldwide.
Quantum computer chips now 1 step closer to reality
In the quest for smaller, faster computer chips, researchers are increasingly turning to quantum mechanics -- the exotic physics of the small. The problem: the manufacturing techniques required to make quantum devices have been equally exotic. That is, until now.
Mystery Solved: Marine Microbe Is Source of Rare Nutrient
A new study of microscopic marine microbes, called phytoplankton, by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and the University of South Carolina has solved a ten-year-old mystery about the source of an essential nutrient in the ocean.
Engineers Produce 'How-To' Guide for Controlling the Structure of Nanoparticles
Tiny objects known as nanoparticles are often heralded as holding great potential for future applications in electronics, medicine and other areas.
Golf course putting greens show their age
Just like the rest of us, golf courses show their age-especially on putting greens, which experience more foot traffic than anywhere else on golf courses. Putting greens, which comprise only about 1.6% of the total area on most courses, require more intensive management than any other part of the course.
Perennial vegetation, an indicator of desertification in Spain
A team of scientists has analyzed 29 esparto fields from Guadalajara to Murcia and has concluded that perennial vegetation cover is an efficient early warning system against desertification in these ecosystems. The study has been published in the Ecology magazine.
Water quality improves after lawn fertilizer ban, study shows
In an effort to keep lakes and streams clean, municipalities around the country are banning or restricting the use of phosphorus-containing lawn fertilizers, which can kill fish and cause smelly algae blooms and other problems when the phosphorus washes out of the soil and into waterways.
More Phosphorus Current Events and Phosphorus News Articles
 |
The 13th Element: The Sordid Tale of Murder, Fire, and Phosphorus by John Emsley (Author) Discovered by alchemists, prescribed by apothecaries, exploited by nineteenth-century industrialists, and abused by twentieth-century combatants, phosphorus is one of nature's deadliest- and most fascinating- creations. Now award-winning author John Emsley combines his gift for storytelling with his scientific expertise to present an enthralling account of this eerily luminescent element. From murders-by-phosphorus where the bodies glowed green, to the match factory strike that helped end child labor in England, to the irony of the World War II firebombing of Hamburg, to even deadlier compounds derived from phosphorus today. The 13th Element weaves together a rich tableau of brilliant and oddball characters, social upheavals, and curious, bizarre, and horrific events that comprise the... |
 |
Carlson Complexed Phosphorus 250 tablets by Carlson 100 mg Phosphorus per tablet from 1,000 mg Phosphorus amino acid complex. |
 |
Hyland's Phosphorus, 30X, 250 Tablets (Pack of 3) by Hyland's Homeopathic Homeopathic Medicine. Cough and sore throat. Made according to the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States since 1903. |
|
Organic Phosphorus Compounds, Vol. 7 by KOSOLAPOFF (Author), G.M. Kosolapoff (Editor), L. Maier (Editor) | |
|
Phosphorus Chemistry in Everyday Living by Arthur Dock Fon Toy (Author), Edward N. Walsh (Author) | |
 |
Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Phosphorus, 6C Pellets, 80-Count Tubes (Pack of 5) by Boiron Homeopathic medicine. Made in France. |
|
Long Run Availability of Phosphorus: A Case Study in Mineral Resource Analysis (RFF Press) by Professor Frederick J. Wells (Author) | |
 |
Rep-Cal Calcium -Phosphorus & Vitamin D3 Free(green Bottle) by Rep-Cal Rep-Cal Calcium - Phosphorus and Vitamin D3 Freefor reptiles. Calcium deficiency is a major dietary problem of captive reptiles and amphibians. Maintaining a proper calcium:phosphorous (Ca:P) ratio in the diet of 1.5:1 is believed to be just as important nutritionally as an adequate Ca intake. The problem in most cases is an improper Ca:P ratio, not too little Ca. Pick up some Rep-Cal Calcium - Phosphorus and Vitamin D3 Free for your reptile today. Dosage: Mix with vegetables, fruits and pastes approximately 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per pound of food. Ingredients:100% natural phosphorus-free oyster shell calcium carbonate. Dosage:Mix with vegetables, fruits and pastes approximately 1/2 to 1 tablespoon per pound of food.To coat insects:Place insects and calcium powder in a plastic bag.Shake... |
 |
Modeling Phosphorus in the Environment by David E. Radcliffe (Editor), Miguel L. Cabrera (Editor) Despite advances in modeling, such as graphical user interfaces, the use of GIS layers, and databases for developing input files, the approaches to modeling phosphorus (P) have not changed since their initial development in the 1980s. Current understanding of P processes has evolved and this new information needs to be incorporated into the current models. Filling this need, Modeling Phosphorus in the Environment describes basic approaches to modeling P, how the current models implement these approaches, and ways to improve them. The book sets the scene with a review of general approaches to modeling runoff and erosion, P in runoff, leaching of P, stream processes that affect P, and an examination of the important issue of model uncertainty. It describes state-of-the-science... |
 |
Giorgio Brutini Men's 17282 Slipon,Navy/Phosphorus Blue,9.5 M by Giorgio Brutini Moc slip-on with penny strap. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |