Xref: utzoo sci.chem:2026 sci.bio:3618
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!know!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.chem,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Thermodynamics of reduction of phosphate to phosphine
Summary: Another possible metal ion...
Keywords: marsh gas, wierd organisms, dissolving metal
Message-ID: <4077@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 3 Oct 90 03:27:56 GMT
References: <4067@kitty.UUCP> <61152@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu> <4072@kitty.UUCP> <1990Oct02.143943.18824@chinet.chi.il.us>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 20

In article <1990Oct02.143943.18824@chinet.chi.il.us>, saj@chinet.chi.il.us (Stephen Jacobs) writes:
> Given that some microorganisms seem to be able to make particles of iron, it
> may be worth considering that the powerful reductant needed to reduce the
> oxygens off phosphorus might be dissolving metal.

	That's precisely why the thought of ferredoxin as a reducing agent
came to mind in my previous article.

	Yet another possibility is an enzyme containing zinc, something like
carbonic anhydrase, which does a nice job of catalyzing the hydration of
CO2 to carbonic acid.  If we could somehow form hypophosphorous acid, then
I can see a possible mechanism for production of phosphine.

	A third possibility is that the production of phosphine is solely
the result of an exobiological phenomenon, which is proof that there are
indeed LGM (Little Green Men) living in swamps.  :-)

Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
VOICE: 716/688-1231   {boulder, rutgers, watmath}!ub!kitty!larry
FAX:   716/741-9635                  {utzoo, uunet}!/      \aerion!larry