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Nanoflow Separation of Amino Acids for the Analysis of Cosmic DustThe delivery of amino acids to the early Earth by interplanetary dust particles, comets, and carbonaceous meteorites could have been a significant source of the early Earth's prebiotic organic inventory. Amino acids are central to modern terrestrial biochemistry as major components of proteins and enzymes and were probably vital in the origin of life. A variety of amino acids have been detected in the CM carbonaceous meteorite Murchison, many of which are exceptionally rare in the terrestrial biosphere including a-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and isovaline. AIB has also been detected in a small percentage of Antarctic micrometeorite grains believed to be related to the CM meteorites We report on progress in optimizing a nanoflow liquid chromatography separation system with dual detection via laser-induced-fluorescence time of flight mass spectrometry (nLC-LIF/ToF-MS) for the analysis of o-phthaldialdehydelN-acetyl-L-cysteine (OPA/NAC) labeled amino acids in cosmic dust grains. The very low flow rates (<3 micro-L/min) of nLC over analytical LC (>0.1 ml/min) combined with <2 micron column bead sizes has the potential to produce efficient analyte ionizations andchromatograms with very sharp peaks; both increase sensitivity. The combination of the selectivity (only primary amines are derivatized), sensitivity (>4 orders of magnitude lower than traditional GC-MS techniques), and specificity (compounds identities are determined by both retention time and exact mass) makes this a compelling technique. However, the development of an analytical method to achieve separation of compounds as structurally similar as amino acid monomers and produce the sharp peaks required for maximum sensitivity is challenging.
Document ID
20080040865
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Martin, M. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Glavin, D. P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Dworkin, Jason P. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
March 10, 2008
Subject Category
Exobiology
Meeting Information
Meeting: LPSC Conference
Location: Houston, TX
Country: United States
Start Date: March 10, 2008
End Date: March 14, 2008
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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