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Title: Organic synthesis on Mars by electrochemical reduction of CO2

Journal Article · · Science Advances
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [5]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [6]; ORCiD logo [7];  [3]; ORCiD logo [8]; ORCiD logo [1];  [5]; ORCiD logo [9]; ORCiD logo [10]
  1. Carnegie Inst. for Science, Washington, DC (United States)
  2. German Research Centre for Geosciences, GFZ, Telegrafenberg (Germany); Free University of Berlin (Germany); University of Leeds (United Kingdom)
  3. German Research Centre for Geosciences, GFZ, Telegrafenberg (Germany)
  4. RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, Stockholm (Sweden)
  5. NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX (United States)
  6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)
  7. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD (United States)
  8. USRA–Science and Technology Institute, Huntsville, AL (United States)
  9. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  10. University of Leeds (United Kingdom); Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)

The sources and nature of organic carbon on Mars have been a subject of intense research. Steele et al. (2012) showed that 10 martian meteorites contain macromolecular carbon phases contained within pyroxene- and olivine-hosted melt inclusions. Here, we show that martian meteorites Tissint, Nakhla, and NWA 1950 have an inventory of organic carbon species associated with fluid-mineral reactions that are remarkably consistent with those detected by the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. We advance the hypothesis that interactions among spinel-group minerals, sulfides, and a brine enable the electrochemical reduction of aqueous CO2 to organic molecules. Although documented here in martian samples, a similar process likely occurs wherever igneous rocks containing spinel-group minerals and/or sulfides encounter brines.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1494088
Journal Information:
Science Advances, Journal Name: Science Advances Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 4; ISSN 2375-2548
Publisher:
AAASCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Nitrogen isotope ratios trace high-pH conditions in a terrestrial Mars analog site journal February 2020
Indigenous Organic‐Oxidized Fluid Interactions in the Tissint Mars Meteorite journal March 2019
Catalytic/Protective Properties of Martian Minerals and Implications for Possible Origin of Life on Mars journal November 2018