Phosphorous Paradox and the Unsuspected Intrinsic Property of Human Beings to Dissociate the Water Molecule

Abstract

Phosphorous paradox means that this element is abundant on Earth, it is present inside of every cell of living things. However, is so scarce in the Universe. Phosphate, the most exploited form of phosphorous, is a vital constituent of fertilizer. Phosphate rock has emerged as a globally traded commodity linked to a diverse set of politically charged debates, ranging from environmental degradation and threats to human health to food security and agricultural sovereignty. Supposedly, life can multiply until all the phosphorus is gone, and then there is an inexorable halt, which nothing can prevent (Asimov, Isaac). Phosphorus seems like a Life’s Bottleneck. It is so believed that Phosphorous (P) has been placed as a critical resource for the bioeconomy and for food security at the global scale. The biogeochemical P flow has been described as a “planetary boundary,” which, in parts of the world, has already been exceeded. However, our discovery about the unexpected intrinsic capacity of living beings to dissociate the water molecule breaks the ground. Thereby, the formation of Phosphorous requires the presence of Life.