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Stability of α-ketoglutaric acid simulating an impact-generated hydrothermal system: implications for prebiotic chemistry studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2020

L. Ramírez-Vázquez Open the ORCID record for L. Ramírez-Vázquez [Opens in a new window]  and
A. Negrón-Mendoza
L. Ramírez-Vázquez*
Affiliation:
Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, CDMX, México Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, CDMX, México
A. Negrón-Mendoza
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, C.P. 04510, CDMX, México
*
Author for correspondence: L. Ramírez-Vázquez, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Life originated on Earth possibly as a physicochemical process; thus, geological environments and their hypothetical characteristics on early Earth are essential for chemical evolution studies. Also, it is necessary to consider the energy sources that were available in the past and the components that could have contributed to promote chemical reactions. It has been proposed that the components could have been mineral surfaces. The aim of this work is to determine the possible role of mineral surfaces on chemical evolution, and to study of the stability of relevant molecules for metabolism, such as α-ketoglutaric acid (α-keto acid, Krebs cycle participant), using ionizing radiation and thermal energy as energy sources and mineral surfaces to promote chemical reactions. Preliminary results show α-ketoglutaric acid can be relatively stable at the simulated conditions of an impact-generated hydrothermal system; thus, those systems might have been plausible environments for chemical evolution on Earth.

Keywords

α-ketoglutaric acidimpact-generated hydrothermal systemsprebiotic chemistryradiolysisthermolysis
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , June 2020 , pp. 253 - 259
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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