Struvite and Prebiotic Phosphorylation

Abstract
Struvite, MgNH4PO4·6H2O, rather than apatite or amorphous calcium phosphate is precipitated when phosphate is added to seawater containing more than 0.01M NH4+ ions. Struvite may have precipitated from evaporating seawater on the primitive earth, and may have been important for prebiotic phosphorylation.