Phosphorus is an essential nutrient to all forms of life and is required for building DNA, RNA and amino acids (Paytan, 2011). Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient in ecosystems, along with nitrogen, and therefore its abundance determines the amount of primary production that can occur within a system (Schindler, 1971). The two main types of phosphorus are inorganic phosphate minerals, such as calcium phosphate rock that is mined for fertilizer, and organic compounds containing phosphorus such as ATP, a form of energy ubiquitous in cellular processes. Since the industrialization of society, anthropogenic contributions of phosphorus in the environment have increased significantly (Elser, 2007). The environmental impacts of phosphorus use
