Phosphate

Question 1

What is the primary difference between phosphite and phosphate?

Answer 1

Phosphate is a component of fertilizer that plants take up and use for essential metabolic functions like ATP, DNA, and photosynthesis. Phosphite is a fungicidal product that plants take up but cannot use for phosphorus metabolism.

Question 2

What are phosphonates, and what is their relationship to phosphorous acid?

Answer 2

Phosphonates are compounds containing a carbon-to-phosphorus bond. They are commonly used to describe products made from the salts or esters of phosphorous acid, which is their basic ingredient.

Question 3

How is potassium phosphite made, and what is its chemical composition?

Answer 3

Potassium phosphite is made by mixing a solution of potassium hydroxide with phosphonic acid. It is the alkali metal salt of phosphorous acid and is also known as mono- and di-potassium salts of phosphorous acid.

Question 4

What is ethyl phosphonate, and what is an example of a product that contains it?

Answer 4

Ethyl phosphonate is an organic compound bonded to an aluminum ion, forming aluminum tris (O-ethyl phosphonate), or fosetyl Al. This is the active ingredient in Chipco Signature fungicide.

Question 5

What is the difference between phosphorous acid and phosphoric acid in terms of their use?

Answer 5

Phosphorous acid (H3PO3) is the basic ingredient in fungicidal phosphonate products. Phosphoric acid is a strong acid used in the manufacture of phosphate fertilizer