Phosphate
A
phosphate, also known as phosphorus, P or PO4, is, according to
chemistry, a polyatomic ion or radical which consists of one
phosphorus atom and four oxygen. In organic chemistry, the alkylated
derivatives of phosphates are known as organophosphates.
In biological systems, the phosphorus are found in the form of
phosphate ion and various phosphate esters. Among others, it is found
as the compounds DNA and RNA. Other compounds, like the substituted
phosphines, do have their uses in organic chemistry but they do not
seem to have any natural counterparts.
Phosphate or phosphorus occurs naturally and is found in many
phosphate minerals. Rare phosphide minerals may be found in meteorites
but the elemental phosphorous and the phosphides are not found.
Different Types of Phosphates
In a dilute aqueous state, phosphate has four forms. They are as
follows:
- In
strongly basic conditions, the phosphate ion, PO43-, is prevalent.
- In
weakly basic conditions, the hydrogen phosphate ion, HPO42-, is most
common.
- In
weakly acid conditions, dihydrogen phosphate ion, H2PO4-, is also
most common.
- In
strongly acid conditions, aqueous phosphoric acid, H3PO4(aq),
predominates.
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