Organic Compounds in Lunar Samples: Pyrolysis Products, Hydrocarbons, Amino Acids

Lunar fines and a chip from inside a rock pyrolyzed in helium at 700 °C gave methane, other gases, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Benzene/methanol extracts of fines yielded traces of high molecular weight alkanes and sulfur. Traces of glycine, alanine, ethanolamine, and urea were found in aqueous extrac...

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Published inScience (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 167; no. 3918; pp. 770 - 773
Main Authors Nagy, Bartholomew, Drew, Charles M., Hamilton, Paul B., Modzeleski, Vincent E., Murphy, Mary E., Scott, Ward M., Urey, Harold C., Young, Maria
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Association for the Advancement of Science 30.01.1970
Subjects
Amino acids
Amino Acids - analysis
Astronomical Phenomena
Astronomy
Breccia
Chromatography, Gas
Chromatography, Ion Exchange
Electron micrographs
Engines
Extraterrestrial Environment
Geological Phenomena
Geology
Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons - analysis
Lunar modules
Methane
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Organic Chemistry
Pyrolysis
Space Flight
Space life sciences
Styrenes
Sulfur
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Summary:Lunar fines and a chip from inside a rock pyrolyzed in helium at 700 °C gave methane, other gases, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Benzene/methanol extracts of fines yielded traces of high molecular weight alkanes and sulfur. Traces of glycine, alanine, ethanolamine, and urea were found in aqueous extracts. Biological controls and a terrestrial rock, dunite, subjected to exhaust from the lunar module descent engine showed a different amino acid distribution. Interpretation of the origin of the carbon compounds requires extreme care, because of possible contamination acquired during initial sample processing.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.167.3918.770