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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
10:03
Extraction and Analysis of Microbial Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Soils
Published on: August 26, 2016
Detection of geothermal phosphite using high-performance liquid chromatography.
Herbe Pech1, Amanda Henry, Crist S Khachikian
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Los Angeles, California 90032, USA.
Environmental Science & Technology
|November 20, 2009
Summary
Researchers quantified phosphite and phosphate in a pristine geothermal pool, offering insights into early Earth
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Astrobiology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Phosphorus is essential for life, but its prebiotic bioavailability remains poorly understood.
- Understanding phosphorus speciation in early Earth environments is key to elucidating its origins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the first quantitative measurements of phosphite in a pristine geothermal pool.
- To investigate phosphorus speciation in an environment representative of early Earth.
Main Methods:
- Suppressed conductivity ion chromatography was used to identify and quantify phosphite and phosphate.
- Chemical oxidation and ion chromatography/mass spectrometry confirmed phosphite presence.
Main Results:
- Phosphite (0.06 ± 0.02 μM) and phosphate (0.05 ± 0.01 μM) were quantified in the geothermal pool.
- Phosphite was below detection limits in the associated stream, while phosphate was 1.06 ± 0.36 μM.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first quantitative data on phosphite in a modern geothermal pool.
- Geothermal pools may represent viable environments for prebiotic phosphorus cycling.
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