Northwestern University researchers are actively overturning the conventional view of iron oxides as mere phosphorus “sinks.” A critical nutrient for life, most phosphorus in the soil is ...

Caption Iron oxides stain the bed of Upper East Mancos River in southwestern Colorado, an alpine stream affected by acid rock drainage. Concentrations of zinc, copper and sulfate have doubled in ...

Rust stains on wood decking may be tough to deal with because the iron oxide that stems from the corrosion process can seep deep into the fibers of the wood and require aggressive cleaning methods.

Unfortunately, the longer it goes unnoticed — and the longer the offending object sheds iron oxide — the more time rust particles have to penetrate the surface. The depth to which the stain ...

Iron oxides, traditionally seen as phosphorus "sinks," are now recognized as efficient natural catalysts that convert organic phosphorus into its inorganic form, essential for plant growth.

Most phosphorus in the environment is in an organic form that plants cannot directly use, and traditional understanding suggested only enzymes could convert it into the bioavailable inorganic form.