Describe the purpose of phosphates in fertilizer and in laundry detergent

-to buid new cell membranes

-to synthesize new DNA and RNA

-to store large amount of glucose

-to enable the cleaning components of the detergent by preventing interference by the "hardness" of water (mineral ions).

... this is necessary because of calcium and magnesium ions in soils and dirt.

-maintain the correct pH for cleaning components to act, in particular the high pH necessary to ensure sanitisation (killing of bacteria)