astrobiology.gsfc.nasa/dworkin
DESCRIPTION
Analysis of natural and synthetic extraterrestrial material Jason Dworkin. Meteorites. Returned Samples. Ice Simulations. Grain Simulations. http://astrobiology.gsfc.nasa.gov/dworkin/. Observations & Simulations. Lab Analysis. Simulations. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
http://astrobiology.gsfc.nasa.gov/dworkin/
Meteorites
Ice Simulations
Grain Simulations
Returned Samples
Analysis of natural and synthetic extraterrestrial material Jason Dworkin
Observations & Simulations
Lab Analysis
Simulations
Scott Sandford, NASA ARC
Spectroscopy (e.g. IR) Is Used for Remote Observations
Russian botanist Mikhail Tsvet invented chromatography in 1901 during his research on chlorophyll.
Chromatographic Tools
HPLC & Detectors
nanoLC LIF Detector
MS
Liquid ChromatographyMass Spectrometry
LC/MS
Gas ChromatographyMass Spectrometry
GC/MS
MS GC
(NAI)
(NAI)
(NAI)
(NAI)
(NAI)
Dworkin Co-Authored AbSciCon Presentations1. Investigation of isovaline enantiomeric excesses in CM meteorites
using liquid chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry. Glavin & Dworkin
2. Reassessing the organic content of antarctic ice and meteorites. Botta et al.
3. Icy prebiotic chemistry of nitriles and other molecules. Hudson, Moore & Dworkin
4. Studies of amino acid formation by photolysis of interstellar ice analogs. Elsila, Bernstein & Dworkin
5. A possible pathway for organic synthesis and implications for protostellar systems. Johnson et al.
6. Prebiotic phosphorylation through phosphorus radicals. Pasek, Dworkin & Lauretta
7. MALDI-MS analysis of hetero-trimer fractions formed by montmorillonite catalysis in the reaction of binary monomer mixtures. Hazen (Ertem) et al.
8. The astrobiology in secondary classroom (ASC) project. Walter, et al.
• STARDUST amino acid analysis • Hydrazine thruster contamination
• Amino acids in CM & CR meteorites • SAM GC/MS
• Nucleobases in CM meteorites • Asteroid sample return mission
1. Investigation of isovaline enantiomeric excesses in CM meteorites using liquid chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry. Glavin & Dworkin
2. Reassessing the organic content of antarctic ice and meteorites. Botta et al.
3. Icy prebiotic chemistry of nitriles and other molecules. Hudson, Moore & Dworkin
4. Studies of amino acid formation by photolysis of interstellar ice analogs. Elsila, Bernstein & Dworkin
5. A possible pathway for organic synthesis and implications for protostellar systems. Johnson et al.
6. Prebiotic phosphorylation through phosphorus radicals. Pasek, Dworkin & Lauretta
7. MALDI-MS analysis of hetero-trimer fractions formed by montmorillonite catalysis in the reaction of binary monomer mixtures. Hazen (Ertem) et al.
8. The astrobiology in secondary classroom (ASC) project. Walter, et al.
• STARDUST amino acid analysis • Hydrazine thruster contamination
• Amino acids in CM & CR meteorites • SAM GC/MS
• Nucleobases in CM meteorites • Asteroid sample return mission
Dworkin Co-Authored AbSciCon Presentations
Synergies: Amino AcidsCollaborations with Glavin and Botta have focused research on amino acids and
meteorites.
While I am fond of saying, “There is more to life than amino acids,” these compounds are relevant, popular, and (with our method of analysis) easy to generate extraordinary data.
1/2 of the AbSciCon abstracts from this lab are based on amino acid data from meteorites or lab simulations.
Lab facilities have been used to help characterize SAM derivitization agent
glyala
ABAABAAIB
ala
Amino Acid Protocol
Sample
Water extraction (100ºC 24 h)
Acid hydrolysis (6 M HCl 150ºC 3 h)
Desalting of soils or meteorites
(AG50W-X8 resin)
Derivatization (OPA/NAC primary amines)
HPLC with UV fluorescence+ ToF-MS detection
50%
50%
chirality(non-super imposable mirror images)
With few exceptions, life is homochiral and abiotic chemistry is racemic
Using a chiral fluorescent label forms diastereomers with chiral amino acids (L,L and D,L) and allows for separation.
Studies of amino acid formation by photolysis of interstellar ice analogs. Elsila et al.
Standard Fluorescence
Sample Fluorescence
Blank Fluorescence
Gly
ABAD L
ABA Ala
AlaD L
H2O+CH3OH+HCN+NH3
h10 K
Studies of amino acid formation by photolysis of interstellar ice analogs. Elsila et al.
H2O+CH3OH+HCN+NH3
h10 K
m/z
Positive electrospray
Negative electrospray
OPA/NAC-Serine (-H+)
OPA/NAC-Serine (+H+)
1 13C2 13C
1 13C
2 13C
Mass calibrate to internal or external standard
Studies of amino acid formation by photolysis of interstellar ice analogs. Elsila et al.
Serine ESI+
Fluorescence
Glycine ESI+
Alanine & Alanine ESI+
C2
C3
C4
C5
C6
C3OH
C3COOH
C2COOH
Standards
Danny Glavin’s Talk
Murchison Meteorite, CM2
Member of Organics Preliminary Examination Team
• Analyze landing site mud for amine contamination• Arrange analysis of landing site and clean room air• Analyze heat shield and filters for amines• Analyze flight aerogel for amine contamination• Analyze comet-exposed aerogel for amines
STARDUST - Evaluation of Sources of 1° Amine Contamination (R-NH2)
Several flight quality aerogels and UTTR soil and standing water collected 2004 from near the Genesis recovery site were analyzed for amino acids. The results are compared to the Murchison (CM) and Orgueil (CI) meteorites.
abundance (ppm) Aerogel Soil Water Murchison Orgueil
Amines 7.0 12.0 2.0 14.6 4.2
Most Abundant
(ppm)
Nylon*
5.4
L-glutamic acid
2.4
-alanine
0.3
AIB**
3.2
-alanine
2.1
AIB** <0.01 <0.006 <0.004 3.2 0.04
-Alanine 0.03 0.2 0.3 1.4 2.1
*-amino-n-caproic acid, from Nylon-6 degradation **-amino-isobutyric acid
Aerogel contamination should not be a problem for the STARDUST analyses. While, it is not anticipated that the samples were exposed to UTTR soil or water, some compounds (e.g. AIB) could still be determined.
Analysis of air samples from the landing site and UTTR clean room
•Air samples were taken at the landing site near the heat shield and at the vents and in the UTTR clean room near the heat shield and the interior of the SRC.
•Analyzed by GC and GC/MS at the NASA JSC Toxicology Laboratory.
•Trace levels of volatile organic compounds were found at the heat shield and vents at the landing site.
•Isopropanol and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane were found in the ppm range as well as trace levels of other volatile organic compounds at the heat shield and the interior of the SRC, after transfer to the Utah clean room.
•The Sample Canister Filter has yet to be analyzed for any trapped gases.
1/2 L sampling bottle containing air from near the landing site vents analyzed at JSC.
Analytical techniques likely to be used for analysis of returned samples:
NanoSIMS Ion Microprobe): elemental and isotopic composition map
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): elemental and isotopic composition
X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) Spectroscopy: general bonding of organics
Micro Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (µL2MS): polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Comet Wild 2 Interplanetary Dust Particle (IDP)
None will detect specific biomolecules!
Analytical techniques to be used for analysis of returned samples
Comet Wild 2 Interplanetary Dust Particle (IDP)
Mass of single 10 µm grain: ~ 1 x 10-9 g
Concentration of AIB:
Murchison meteorite 3 ppm (µg/g)
Antarctic µmeteorite 0.2 ppm
Orgueil meteorite 0.04 ppm
Orgueil meteorite ( Ala) 2 ppm
Molecules AIB/grain (x 10-18 moles): 80 to 0.5
Detection limit (x 10-18 moles): ~10
Number 10 µm grains required: 1/4 to 20
Number 20 µm grains required: 1/32 to 2
Can LC/MS techniques used in biotechnology be applied?
Stardust or IDP
(10-20 µg)
Water extraction (100ºC 24 h)
Acid hydrolysis (6 M HCl 150ºC 3 h)
Derivatization (OPA/NAC primary amines)
nLC with LIF
+ nanospray ToF-MS detection
50%
50%
nLC
ToF-MS
LIF
Separation
Column:70µm x 100 mm1.7µm resin
Fluorescence Detection
Diode pulsed laser70µm flow cellPMT detector
Ionization
Reference SprayerBaffleMS InletSample Sprayer (20µm)
Detection of 10 amol of AIB by MS
To do:• Reduce contamination (glass pipettes, pyrolyzed salts, clean room?)• Adapt HPLC separation technique to nLC
Adapt HPLC separation technique to nLC
4.6 mm, 5 µm resin
2 mm, 3 µm resin
1 mm, 3 µm resin
300 µm, 3 µm resin
100 µm, 3 µm resin
100 µm, 1.7 µm resin
70 µm, 1.7 µm resin
HPLC
nLC
Phenylhexyl XTerra C18 BEH C18
70 µm, 1.7 µm resin50 µm, 3 µm resin & pre-column Goal
CI CM
• CIs: fragments of extinct cometary nuclei (Lodders and Osborne, 1999)
• Amino acid composition in CIs distinct from CMs
• Amino acids consistent with volatiles detected in comets Hyakutake and Hale-Bopp (Crovisier and Bockelée-Morvan, 1999)
• Direct analysis of comet or asteroid will help constrain the nature of meteorite parent bodies
CI Meteorites: A Cometary Origin?
Orgueil (France, 1864)
glycine
-alanineAIB
Ehrenfreund et al. PNAS 98 (2001) 2138-2141
Ala Ala
AIB ABA ABA
ABA
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Ala Ala
AIB ABA ABA
ABA
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.