Abstract
Experimental studies of the interactions between biomolecules and
minerals under conditions simulating harsh planetary environments
provide key insights into possible prebiotic processes and the search
for life. Despite protection from cosmic rays, UV, and oxidative
degradation, buried biosignatures may undergo diagenetic processes that
decrease the concentration of organic matter. Additionally, other
degradation mechanisms occur as a result of elevated temperatures,
pressures, mineral-organic interactions, and fluid/brine processes. In
this study, we aim to provide a fuller understanding of preservation
potential by considering several variables, including pressure,
temperature, the mineral matrix environment, and fluid chemistry
(salinity, pH, composition). This research expands previous anhydrous
work to investigate the influence of lower pressure regimes, especially
in a combined fluid/brine environment with various mineral matrices. To
test the preservation potential of various biomolecules, we subjected
samples to temperature, pressure, fluid, and mineral matrix conditions
representative of different environmental stressors. The starting
materials included: 1) isolated organic compounds added to various
mineral standards, 2) An endolithic and microbe-rich natural calcite
deposited from a CO2-rich hot spring, 3) cyanobacteria necromass.
Experiments were conducted in three different devices 1) a
piston-cylinder press reaching up to 15 kbar and 550 °C, 2) high-volume
batch reaction vessels generating up to 15 MPa pressure and 80 °C, and
3) ambient pressure, high temperature furnaces. Samples were analyzed by
GC-MS and LC-MS, while ICP-MS, XRD, and Raman were used for additional
characterization. The influence of pressure can be clearly identified.
Similarly, fluid transport, complex thermal degradation, and oxidation
mechanisms are identified.