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In situ Analysis of Organic Compounds on Mars using Chemical Derivatization and Gas Chromatography Mass SpectrometryOne of the core science objectives of NASA's 2009 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission is to determine the past or present habitability of Mars. The search for key organic compounds relevant to terrestrial life will be an important part of that assessment. We have developed a protocol for the analysis of amino acids and carboxylic acids in Mars analogue materials using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). As shown, a variety of carboxylic acids were readily identified in soil collected from the Atacama Desert in Chile at part-per-billion levels by GCMS after extraction and chemical derivatization using the reagent N,N-tert.-butyl (dimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA). Several derivatized amino acids including glycine and alanine were also detected by GCMS in the Atacama soil at lower concentrations (chromatogram not shown). Lacking derivatization capability, the Viking pyrolysis GCMS instruments could not have detected amino acids and carboxylic acids, since these non-volatile compounds require chemical transformation into volatile species that are stable in a GC column. We are currently optimizing the chemical extraction and derivatization technique for in situ GCMS analysis on Mars. Laboratory results of analyses of Atacama Desert samples and other Mars analogue materials using this protocol will be presented.
Document ID
20050201911
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Glavin, D. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Buch, A. (Ecole Centrale de Paris France)
Cabane, M. (Paris VI Univ. France)
Coll, P. (Paris VII Univ. France)
Navarro-Gonzalez, R. (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico Mexico City, Mexico)
Mahaffy, P. R. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
September 7, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2005
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Meeting Information
Meeting: NASA Astrobiology Institute Meeting
Location: Boulder, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: April 10, 2005
End Date: April 14, 2005
Sponsors: NASA Headquarters
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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