image by: phosphorus_studios

HWN Suggests

Phosphorus: Essential to Life—Are We Running Out?

Unfortunately, most phosphorus is wasted. Only 20 percent of the phosphorus in phosphate rock reaches the food consumed globally. Thirty to 40 percent is lost during mining and processing; 50 percent is wasted in the food chain between farm and fork; and only half of all manure is recycled back into farmland around the world.

Most of the wasted phosphorus enters our rivers, lakes and oceans from agricultural or manure runoff or from phosphates in detergent and soda dumped down drains, resulting in eutrophication. This is a serious form of water pollution wherein algae bloom, then die, consuming oxygen and creating a “dead zone” where nothing can live. Over 400 coastal dead zones…

read full article

Featured

 P Is For Phosphorus

Phosphorus - or phosphate in its usable form - is in pretty much everything. Some nasty things like bombs - apparently, it explodes when it hits the air. And then there's poison - sure - but also in some nice things, too.

 Phosphorus supply is increasingly disrupted – we are sleepwalking into a global food crisis

Without phosphorus food cannot be produced, since all plants and animals need it to grow. Put simply: if there is no phosphorus, there is no life. As such, phosphorus-based fertilisers – it is the “P” in “NPK” fertiliser – have become critical to the global food system. Most phosphorus comes from non-renewable phosphate rock and it cannot be synthesised artificially. All farmers therefore need access to it, but 85% of the world’s remaining high-grade phosphate rock is concentrated in just five countries (some of which are “g

 Scientists warn of ‘phosphogeddon’ as critical fertiliser shortages loom

Excessive use of phosphorus is depleting reserves vital to global food production, while also adding to the climate crisis.

Articles of Interest

Does Your Diet Deliver Too Much Phosphorus?

The danger of too much dietary phosphorus may be on the rise because of the growing popularity of phosphorus-based additives in packaged foods. These phosphate compounds are employed as preservatives, anti-caking agents, stabilizers, leavening agents and acidifiers.

Humanity Is Flushing Away One of Life's Essential Elements

But for as long as scientists have understood the importance of phosphorus, people have worried about running out of it. These fears sparked the fertilizer races of the 19th century as well as a series of anxious reports in the 20th century, including one as early as 1939, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to assess the country’s phosphate resources so that “continuous and adequate supplies be insured.”

Nutrient Pollution: How Excess Nitrogen and Phosphorus are Shaping Health Outcomes

Nutrient pollution is one of the United States’ most widespread issues, posing as a persistent threat to drinking water sources, human health, outdoor recreation, ecosystem health and more. It is also a problem that is increasingly difficult to solve.

Phosphorus: 350 years after its discovery, this vital element is running out

The story of how the 15th element on the periodic table was discovered stands as one of the great accidents of human endeavour – the chemist’s equivalent, perhaps, of Columbus setting out for India only to find the Americas by mistake. In the case of phosphorus, the explorer was Hennig Brand, a 17th-century alchemist and merchant from Hamburg, Germany.

Phosphorus: foods, functions, how much do you need & more

Phosphorous is well-known for its importance in healthy and fertile soil, but just like plants, our bodies also need this mineral to thrive!. Phosphorus is one of the major minerals, which our bodies need in relatively larger amounts to keep healthy. We can find phosphorus in a variety of foods, particularly those rich in protein.

That’s a relief! We have a way to recover phosphorus from our urine

Phosphorus, number 15 on the periodic table, can be highly toxic and flammable and has been used in warfare as an incendiary device, yet it is also essential for life.

Your kidney-friendly food plan: Managing phosphorus

A specific balance between the amount of calcium and the amount of phosphorus is vital. If the extra phosphorus cannot be released from your body, it will build up in your blood. This buildup causes your body to pull calcium from your bones in an effort to regain that balance. If it pulls too much calcium, your bones may become brittle and weak. You may be taking phosphorus binders, medicines prescribed by your doctor to help your body get rid of extra phosphorus.

Resources

11 phosphorus rich foods and why we need this essential mineral

Many foods naturally contain phosphorus, known as ‘organic phosphorus’. The main sources are dairy, red meat, poultry, seafood, legumes and nuts. ‘Inorganic phosphorus’, on the other hand, is a processed form added to foods to preserve color, moisture and texture. It’s mainly in fast food, deli meat, sodas and other processed foods.

The Nutrition Source

Phosphorus is a mineral that naturally occurs in many foods and is also available as a supplement. It plays multiple roles in the body. It is a key element of bones, teeth, and cell membranes. It helps to activate enzymes, and keeps blood pH within a normal range. Phosphorus regulates the normal function of nerves and muscles, including the heart, and is also a building block of our genes, as it makes up DNA, RNA, and ATP, the body’s major source of energy.