Artificial Seawater Models Affect Sorption of Adenine and Related Molecules Sorption onto Montmorillonite: Implications for Early Mars and Earth Oceans
Giulio Wilgner Ferreira, Bruno Estevam Pintor, Rafael Block Samulewski, Dimas Augusto Morozin Zaia
TL;DR
This study shows how montmorillonite clay can help retain organic molecules like adenine in early Earth and Mars oceans, supporting theories about the origin of life.
Contribution
The study reveals how ionic composition affects the adsorption of prebiotic molecules onto montmorillonite under simulated early planetary conditions.
Findings
AMP showed the highest adsorption due to interactions between its phosphate group and clay surfaces.
Adsorption efficiency varied with the ionic composition of the simulated seawater.
Montmorillonite could have acted as a selective reservoir for prebiotic molecules in early aquatic environments.
Abstract
The adsorption of biomolecules onto mineral surfaces plays a crucial role in the context of prebiotic chemistry, as originally proposed by John Desmond Bernal. According to Bernal’s hypothesis, clay minerals could have facilitated the concentration and stabilization of organic molecules, creating favorable microenvironments for prebiotic reactions and polymerization processes. In this study, we evaluate the adsorption behavior of adenine, adenosine, and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) onto montmorillonite under different artificial seawater conditions, simulating early Earth and early Mars aqueous environments. The adsorption efficiency varied depending on the ionic composition of the solution, with AMP exhibiting the highest adsorption, likely due to its phosphate group interacting with divalent cations in solution and clay surfaces. These findings suggest that montmorillonite could have…
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Taxonomy
TopicsOrigins and Evolution of Life · Planetary Science and Exploration · Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena