chemist’s corner
by Andrew Schell
Peak Phosphorus
the biggest problem you’ve never heard of
In these days of dwindling resources and overpopulation,
the term peak oil is often seen in headlines, but have you
ever heard of peak phosphorus? Our society is dependent on
mined phosphorus as fertilizer, and global food demands are
diminishing our reserves of this suddenly precious element.
If phosphorus reserves vanished suddenly, scientists estimate
that two-thirds of the world would starve. Many scientists
believe we are approaching the peak of phosphorus production, if we haven’t already passed it. The Global Phosphorus
Research Initiative estimates we have 50-100 years left of
known phosphorus reserves. The global markets have already
started to be affected by the depletion.
Essential for Life
Every living being on Earth requires phosphorus. It is a
fundamental component of DNA, RNA and ATP. ATP
(adenosine triphosphate) is the energy “currency” of
living cells and is necessary in large amounts for
chemical reactions such as photosynthesis and
cellular respiration. ATP powers the production
of essential biomolecules like fats, proteins and
carbohydrates. Phosphorus also makes up phospholipids that assemble into cell membranes,
the semi-permeable boundaries of cells that
allow the exchange of ions. Flower, fruit and
root development require phosphorus uptake.
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Maximum Yield USA | April 2015