Digestion in the phosphorous test produces which of the following?

In the phosphorus test, digestion specifically converts various forms of phosphorus found in wastewater into orthophosphates. During the digestion process, organic phosphorus compounds are broken down into simpler inorganic forms, leading to the formation of orthophosphates, which can then be measured to determine the concentration of phosphorus present in the sample.

Orthophosphates are the most bioavailable form of phosphorus and are crucial for assessing water quality because they can easily be assimilated by aquatic organisms. This is significant in wastewater treatment because it helps in understanding nutrient dynamics and potential eutrophication in receiving water bodies.

Other forms of phosphorus, such as polyphosphates and metaphosphates, may be present at different states but are not the direct products of the digestion process used in the phosphorus test. The primary goal of the digestion step in this analysis is to ensure that all phosphorus is converted into the form that can be quantitatively assessed, which is orthophosphate.