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fosfato

phosphate

noun fohs-FAH-toh Rare

Origin: From French phosphate, from Greek phosphoros (light-bearing).

Usage Note

Fosfato refers to a phosphate salt or ester, essential in biology (ATP, DNA backbone) and used as a fertilizer component. In everyday life, fosfatos appear in fertilizer bags and detergent labels. The element is fósforo (phosphorus); fosfato is the derived ionic compound. Plural fosfatos is regular.

Examples

"Los fosfatos del fertilizante contaminan los ríos."

Natural Translation

The phosphates in the fertilizer contaminate rivers.

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