1788 J. St. John tr. L. B. Guyton de Morveau et al. Method Chym. Nomencl. 69 Nitrats and nitrites,..phosphats and phosphites.

1795 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 85 335 The siderite of Bergman; which is now believed to be phosphate of iron.

1849 Q. Jrnl. Geol. Soc. 5 p. lxxxiv We find such phosphates surrounding some fossils, such as crustaceans from the London clay, leading us to infer a connexion between the animal matter and this substance.

1870 J. Yeats Nat. Hist. Commerce 37 Soils derived from rocks devoid of phosphates cannot produce cereals.

1891 F. Wyatt Phosphates of Amer. iii. 28 The principal phosphate mines of Canada have been located on those positions of the pyroxenite belt in which, at the surface, the apatite has shown signs of predominating.

1895 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 68 i. 639 The liquid separates into two layers, the upper of which seems to contain triallylic phosphate.

1930 R. M. Caven & G. D. Lander Systematic Inorg. Chem. ix. 237 Soluble phosphates, e.g. those of sodium,..show marked hydrolysis in solution.

1953 J. D. Watson & F. H. C. Crick in Nature 25 Apr. 737/1 The bases are on the inside of the helix and the phosphates on the outside.

1954 K. B. Cumberland Southwest Pacific ii. 42 In the central Pacific province the only mining is that of phosphate.

1968 A. White et al. Princ. Biochem. (ed. 4) xv. 315 Three classes of high-energy phosphate compounds are known: acid anhydrides, phosphate esters of enols, and derivatives of phosphamic acid R—NH—PO₃H.

1976 Nature 1 July 45/1 Adsorption of phosphate on hydrous metal oxides is of considerable importance in soil fertility and eutrophication studies.

1990 Sciences Nov. 28/1 In the present-day world the concentration of inorganic phosphate in oceans and lakes is very low, about one hundred-thousandth of what it is in living cells.

2001 Farmers Guardian 17 Aug. 14/6 Farmers should review the specific phosphate and potash needs of their soils and crops before drilling this autumn.

1885 Newark (Ohio) Daily Advocate 8 Aug. Egg phosphate is merely acid phosphate with a raw egg stirred in, the same as is sometimes done in lemonade.

1890 Saxe's Guide or Hints to Soda Water Dispensers 40 The combination of the raspberry juice with the orange extract makes the finest flavored orange phosphate in the world.

1890 Newark (Ohio) Daily Advocate 9 July See the following list of syrups that are dispersed at Johnson's drug store: Chocolate with cream..Lemon phosphate.

1913 W. S. Adkins National Soda Fountain Guide 54 The egg phosphate finished it should not be topped with a grated nutmeg one day and with powdered cinnamon the next.

1925 I. Gershwin Harlem River Chanty (song) in Lyrics on Several Occasions (1959) 176 Yo-ho-ho, and a pineapple phosphate, Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of sass', Yo-ho-ho, with a choc'late malted—Yo-ho-ho, fill up the glass!

1978 J. Updike Coup (1979) vi. 241 He ordered a lime phosphate, which he drank up with a single long lunge through the straw.

1986 H. Engel City called July ii. 13 When I was young..the Di had one menu totally given up to sundaes, sodas, frappés, fizzes, phosphates and other frosty desserts.

1940 Jrnl. Biol. Chem. 134 463 Since pyruvic acid was found to promote adenylic acid phosphorylation, any such intermediate must contain an energy-rich phosphate bond.

1962 I. Asimov Life & Energy xxi. 291 The two phosphate groups at the end away from the adenosine portion are more easily hydrolyzed than phosphate bonds generally are.

1992 Sci. Amer. Sept. 54/1 Its members interact with a neighboring membrane protein that cleaves a high-energy phosphate bond from guanosine triphosphate.

1914 Jrnl. Industr. & Engin. Chem. 6 488 (caption) All percentages are calculated on a uniform basis of moisture-free and phosphate-free manure.

1966 Q. Rev. Biol. 41 394 Levin..has taken a patent on his method for ‘phosphate-free sewage treatment effluent’.

2003 Irish Independent (Nexis) 8 Dec. They also want to see..a greater use of phosphate-free detergents.

1869 Manufacturer & Builder Jan. 19/3 The chemist therefore recognizes also a borax or a phosphate glass.

1937 Glass 14 519/1 This work originated from the observation that a phosphate glass..turns red on exposure to soft X-rays.

1993 Sci. Amer. Aug. 37/2 The phosphate glass used at Chelyabinsk does not appear to be as durable as the borosilicate glass used in Western Europe, Japan and the U.S.

1909 Polit. Sci. Q. 24 347 The ownership of Clipperton, a phosphate island off the coast of Guatemala.

1936 Discovery Aug. 260/1 He [sc. A. F. Ellis] ‘discovered’ Nauru as a phosphate island.

1996 Limnol. & Oceanogr. 41 1402/1 This type of phosphorite is well known on phosphate islands.

1869 H. S. Osborn Metall. Iron & Steel 34 The irons in general proximity to these phosphate rocks are said to be..contaminated with phosphoric acid.

1915 W. S. Bayley Minerals & Rocks i. ii. 71 Phosphate rock is a mixture of apatite, phosphorite and various hydrated phosphates.

1989 Discover Oct. 28/3 They should put phosphate rock in the soil to build up the natural vigor in the grass.

1897 I. P. Roberts Fertility of Land xv. 367 One year of clover is followed by maize.., this by the less exacting oats, then wheat, phosphated and manured, and lastly, the partly self-sustaining clovers.

1939 R. M. Burns & A. E. Schuh Protective Coatings for Metals xvi. 374 ‘Coslettizing’ was..used in England for phosphating the steel parts of bicycles.

1963 H. R. Clauser Encycl. Engin. Materials 477/1 The fabricated parts are cleaned.., phosphated and rinsed thoroughly.

2000 Industr. Paint & Powder (Nexis) 1 Nov. 42 Suppliers are continually developing improvements for phosphating mixed metals.

1925 S. F. Hinkle Fertility & Crop Production Index 335/2 Manure,..fresh, phosphating of, 90.

1940 J. C. Hudson Corrosion Iron & Steel vi. 136 The proprietary phosphating processes, such as Parkerising and Bonderising.

1956 S. Wernick & R. Pinner Surface Treatm. & Finishing of Aluminium & Alloys vi. 213 As distinct from chemical oxidation, phosphating is carried out on a clean surface, and the work is therefore degreased before immersing..in the phosphating solution.

1992 RS Components: Electronic & Electr. Products July 429/2 Paint finish is of a high standard due to iron phosphating and chrome passivation.