Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Colocated UV Time-Gated Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Shkolyar, Svetlana; Eshelman, E.; Farmer, Jack D.; Hamilton, D.; Daly, M. G.; Youngbull, Cody

doi:10.1089/ast.2017.1716

Cited by 37 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 87 publications

(146 reference statements)

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“…In situ techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, have been demonstrated to enable detection of organic material in ice without melting the sample (Rohde et al, 2008;Böttger et al, 2017). Deep-UV (DUV) techniques have also been demonstrated to distinguish microbes and other organic compounds based on their fluorescence spectra (Bhartia et al, 2010;Eshelman et al, 2015;Eshelman et al, 2018;Shkolyar et al, 2018), and field DUV fluorescence instruments have been deployed to study deep marine biospheres, successfully detecting microbe-like signatures (Bhartia et al, 2010;Salas et al, 2015). The work described here builds on prior field instrumentation using DUV fluorescence to study bacteria in situ (Salas et al, 2015) and in icy environments (Rohde et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

WATSON:In SituOrganic Detection in Subsurface Ice Using Deep-UV Fluorescence Spectroscopy

et al. 2019

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Terrestrial icy environments have been found to preserve organic material and contain habitable niches for microbial life. The cryosphere of other planetary bodies may therefore also serve as an accessible location to search for signs of life. The Wireline Analysis Tool for the Subsurface Observation of Northern ice sheets (WATSON) is a compact deep-UV fluorescence spectrometer for nondestructive ice borehole analysis and spatial mapping of organics and microbes, intended to address the heterogeneity and low bulk densities of organics and microbial cells in ice. WATSON can be either operated standalone or integrated into a wireline drilling system. We present an overview of the WATSON instrument and results from laboratory experiments intended to determine (i) the sensitivity of WATSON to organic material in a water ice matrix and (ii) the ability to detect organic material under various thicknesses of ice. The results of these experiments show that in bubbled ice the instrument has a depth of penetration of 10 mm and a detection limit of fewer than 300 cells. WATSON incorporates a scanning system that can map the distribution of organics and microbes over a 75 by 25 mm area. WATSON demonstrates a sensitive fluorescence mapping technique for organic and microbial detection in icy environments including terrestrial glaciers and ice sheets, and planetary surfaces including Europa, Enceladus, or the martian polar caps.ADC ¼ analog to digital converter DUV ¼ deep-UV LOD ¼ limit of detection LOQ ¼ limit of quantitation LPS ¼ laser power supply PBS ¼ phosphate-buffered saline WATSON ¼ Wireline Analysis Tool for the Subsurface Observation of Northern ice sheets 784 ESHELMAN ET AL.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

WATSON:In SituOrganic Detection in Subsurface Ice Using Deep-UV Fluorescence Spectroscopy

et al. 2019

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“…The optical activity from organic and inorganic compounds has also been proposed as a tool for the detection and characterization of biosignatures. For example, kerogen (Marshall et al, 2017; Shkolyar et al, 2018), proteins (Dartnell and Patel, 2014; Lin et al, 2015) and minerals can be associated with the past presence of life in an environment. Gaft et al (2015) showed several minerals in which the optical activity may be associated with rocks formed in different contexts.…”

Section: Investigating the Structure Optical And Magnetic Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Biogenicity on the Geological Record With Synchrotron-Based Techniques

et al. 2019

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The biogenicity problem of geological materials is one of the most challenging ones in the field of paleo and astrobiology. As one goes deeper in time, the traces of life become feeble and ambiguous, blending with the surrounding geology. Well-preserved metasedimentary rocks from the Archaean are relatively rare, and in very few cases contain structures resembling biological traces or fossils. These putative biosignatures have been studied for decades and many biogenicity criteria have been developed, but there is still no consensus for many of the proposed structures. Synchrotron-based techniques, especially on new generation sources, have the potential for contributing to this field of research, providing high sensitivity and resolution that can be advantageous for different scientific problems. Exploring the X-ray and matter interactions on a range of geological materials can provide insights on morphology, elemental composition, oxidation states, crystalline structure, magnetic properties, and others, which can measurably contribute to the investigation of biogenicity of putative biosignatures. Here, we provide an overview of selected synchrotron-based techniques that have the potential to be applied in different types of questions on the study of biosignatures preserved in the geological record. The development of 3rd and recently 4th generation synchrotron sources will favor a deeper understanding of the earliest records of life on Earth and also bring up potential analytical approaches to be applied for the search of biosignatures in meteorites and samples returned from Mars in the near future.

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“…Regarding excitation, the kerogen sample in our study has a surface area of ~0.2 cm 2 , which with an LED power of 500 mW results in a fluence of 2.5 W.cm -2 . This value is considerably lower than that provided by a pulsed laser (2.3 105 W.cm -2 , Shkolyar et al 2018), suggesting pulsed laser excitation should be considered for future UV luminescence instruments.…”

Section: Photoluminescence Of Complex Carbonaceous Mattermentioning

confidence: 71%

UV luminescence characterisation of organics in Mars-analogue substrates

Laurent

Cousins

Gunn

et al. 2019

Icarus

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This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights  UV photo luminescence detection of PAHs is possible within synthetic and natural gypsum, and synthetic halite.  The most transparent minerals are more conducive to UV photoluminescence detection of trapped organic matter.  Iron oxide hampers but does not completely quench the UV photoluminescence emission.  The maturity of organic carbonaceous material influences the luminescence response, resulting in a reduced signal for UV excitation wavelengths down from 375 nm to 225 nm.

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Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Colocated UV Time-Gated Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Cited by 37 publications

References 87 publications

WATSON:In SituOrganic Detection in Subsurface Ice Using Deep-UV Fluorescence Spectroscopy

WATSON:In SituOrganic Detection in Subsurface Ice Using Deep-UV Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Evaluating Biogenicity on the Geological Record With Synchrotron-Based Techniques

UV luminescence characterisation of organics in Mars-analogue substrates

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