Phosphates

Phosphates may be created by substituting some or all of the hydrogen of a phosphoric acid by metals. Depending on the number of hydrogen atoms that are replaced, the resulting compound is described as a primary, secondary or tertiary phosphate. Primary and secondary phosphates contain hydrogen and are acid salts. Secondary and tertiary phosphates, with the exception of those of sodium, potassium and ammonium are insoluble in water. Tertiary sodium phosphate is valuable as a …

…to overcome the disastrous effects of phosphates is to find an alternate. However, an acceptable substitute for phosphates has not yet been found. Washing only with synthetic detergents would require so much detergent that the cost per wash would increase significantly. Another alternative is the substitution of synthetic nonionic detergents for ionic detergents in use. Nonionic detergents are not precipitated by Calcium of Magnesium ions. This would reduce the risk contaminating our lakes and rivers.