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Geoelectrochemistry-driven alteration of amino acids to derivative organics in carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies

Author

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  • Yamei Li

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology)

  • Norio Kitadai

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Super-cutting-edge Grand and Advanced Research (SUGAR) Program, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-star), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC))

  • Yasuhito Sekine

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Kanazawa University)

  • Hiroyuki Kurokawa

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology)

  • Yuko Nakano

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology)

  • Kristin Johnson-Finn

    (Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

Abstract

A long-standing question regarding carbonaceous chondrites (CCs) is how the CCs’ organics were sourced and converted before and after the accretion of their parent bodies. Growing evidence shows that amino acid abundances in CCs decrease with an elongated aqueous alteration. However, the underlying chemical processes are unclear. If CCs’ parent bodies were water-rock differentiated, pH and redox gradients can drive electrochemical reactions by using H2 as an electron source. Here, we simulate such redox conditions and demonstrate that α-amino acids are electrochemically altered to monoamines and α-hydroxy acids on FeS and NiS catalysts at 25 °C. This conversion is consistent with their enrichment compared to amino acid analogs in heavily altered CCs. Our results thus suggest that H2 can be an important driver for organic evolution in water-rock differentiated CC parent bodies as well as the Solar System icy bodies that might possess similar pH and redox gradients.

Suggested Citation

  • Yamei Li & Norio Kitadai & Yasuhito Sekine & Hiroyuki Kurokawa & Yuko Nakano & Kristin Johnson-Finn, 2022. "Geoelectrochemistry-driven alteration of amino acids to derivative organics in carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32596-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32596-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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