Investigation of the effects of minerals on aldose formation during hydrothermal processes in the meteorite parent bodies

Abstract

Aqueous alteration in meteorite parent bodies would provide a suitable site for the formation of sugars in the prebiotic environment. In meteorite parent bodies, formose-type reactions are expected to occur, in which various organic substances including sugars are produced. The progression of this reaction depends on various factors.In this study, we focused on the effect of minerals on the formose-type reaction and conducted experiments in vitro. The experiments were conducted by preparing samples in glass tubes, derivatizing it, and analyzing it by GC/MS. In this study, the sugars analyzed were aldoses with carbon numbers ranging from 4 to 6.The experimental results showed that the aldose formation reaction proceeded faster when olivine was present in the system. This suggests that olivine has a catalytic effect on formose-type reaction, which may be due to multiple factors such as the surface structure of olivine and its metamorphic effect. In order to investigate this catalytic ability in more detail, the effects of other minerals, such as serpentine, on the formose-type reaction were also investigated.