title: Marine polyphosphate: a key player in geologic phosphorus sequestration.
abstract: The in situ or authigenic formation of calcium phosphate minerals in marine sediments is a major sink for the vital nutrient phosphorus. However, because typical sediment chemistry is not kinetically conducive to the precipitation of these minerals, the mechanism behind their formation has remained a fundamental mystery. Here, we present evidence from high-sensitivity x-ray and electrodialysis techniques to describe a mechanism by which abundant diatom-derived polyphosphates play a critical role in the formation of calcium phosphate minerals in marine sediments. This mechanism can explain the puzzlingly dispersed distribution of calcium phosphate minerals observed in marine sediments worldwide.
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0340, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Ellery
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ingall
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benitez-Nelson
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: de Jonge
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.forename: Jay A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Brandes
mesh_terms: D001031:Apatites / Q000737:chemistry; D018533:Biomass; D017377:Diatoms / Q000737:chemistry*; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry*; D011122:Polyphosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites; D011122:Polyphosphates; D010758:Phosphorus