Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones

Danielle N Simkus; José C Aponte; Jamie E Elsila; Eric T Parker; Daniel P Glavin; Jason P Dworkin

doi:10.3390/life9020047

Methodologies for Analyzing Soluble Organic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Samples: Amino Acids, Amines, Monocarboxylic Acids, Aldehydes, and Ketones

Life (Basel). 2019 Jun 6;9(2):47. doi: 10.3390/life9020047.

Authors

Danielle N Simkus^{1

2}, José C Aponte^{3

4}, Jamie E Elsila⁵, Eric T Parker⁶, Daniel P Glavin⁷, Jason P Dworkin⁸

Affiliations

¹ NASA Postdoctoral Program at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. danielle.n.simkus@nasa.gov.
² Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. danielle.n.simkus@nasa.gov.
³ Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. jose.c.aponte@nasa.gov.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. 20064, USA. jose.c.aponte@nasa.gov.
⁵ Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. jamie.e.cook@nasa.gov.
⁶ Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. eric.t.parker@nasa.gov.
⁷ Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. daniel.p.glavin@nasa.gov.
⁸ Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA. jason.p.dworkin@nasa.gov.

Abstract

Soluble organic compositions of extraterrestrial samples offer valuable insights into the prebiotic organic chemistry of the solar system. This review provides a summary of the techniques commonly used for analyzing amino acids, amines, monocarboxylic acids, aldehydes, and ketones in extraterrestrial samples. Here, we discuss possible effects of various experimental factors (e.g., extraction protocols, derivatization methods, and chromatographic techniques) in order to highlight potential influences on the results obtained from different methodologies. This detailed summary and assessment of current techniques is intended to serve as a basic guide for selecting methodologies for soluble organic analyses and to emphasize some key considerations for future method development.

Keywords: amino acids; analytical chemistry; astrobiology; astrochemistry; carbonaceous chondrites; extraterrestrial samples; soluble organics.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

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