Science Alert April 15, 2023
Phosphate minerals such as those in the apatite group tend to be the dominant forms of phosphorus in minerals on the Earth’s surface. Phosphate can be reduced to phosphides during high-energy events, such as lightning and impacts. An international team of researchers (Italy, USA – University of South Florida) has shown that, in addition to formation of metal phosphides, a new compound was formed by lightning in a fulgurite from New Port Richey, Florida.. A calcium phosphite material, ideally CaHPO3, was found in spherules mainly consisting of iron silicides that formed by lightning-induced fusion of sand around a tree root. According to the researchers phosphite material bears a phosphorus oxidation state intermediate of phosphides and phosphates in a geologic sample. Phosphites are potentially relevant to other high-energy events where phosphorus may partially change its redox state. Material like this phosphite may also be the source of phosphite that makes up part of the phosphorus biogeochemical cycle… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
The fulgurite recovered for the study. Credit: Matthew Pasek