Interaction, at Ambient Temperature and 80 °C, between Minerals and Artificial Seawaters Resembling the Present Ocean Composition and that of 4.0 Billion Years Ago

Abstract

Probably one of the most important roles played by minerals in the origin of life on Earth was to pre-concentrate biomolecules from the prebiotic seas. There are other ways to pre concentrate biomolecules such as wetting/drying cycles and freezing/sublimation. However, adsorption is most important. If the pre-concentration did not occur-because of degradation of the minerals-other roles played by them such as protection against degradation, formation of polymers, or even as primitive cell walls would be seriously compromised. We studied the interaction of two artificial seawaters with kaolinite, bentonite, montmorillonite, goethite, ferrihydrite and quartz. One seawater has a major cation and anion composition similar to that of the oceans of the Earth 4.0 billion years ago (ASW 4.0 Ga). In the other, the major cations and anions are an average of the compositions of the seawaters of today (ASWT). When ASWT, which is rich in Na and Cl, interacted with bentonite and montmorrilonite structural collapse occurred on the 001 plane. However, ASW 4.0 Ga, which is rich in Mg and SO, did not induce this behavior. When ASW 4.0 Ga was reacted with the minerals for 24 h at room temperature and 80 °C, the release of Si and Al to the fluid was below 1 % of the amount in the minerals-meaning that dissolution of the minerals did not occur. In general, minerals adsorbed Mg and K from the ASW 4.0 Ga and these cations could be used for the formation of polymers. Also, when the minerals were mixed with ASW 4.0 Ga at 80 °C and ASWT at room temperature or 80 °C it caused the precipitation of CaSO∙2HO and halite, respectively. Finally, further experiments (adsorption, formation of polymers, protection of molecules against degradation, primitive cell wall formation) performed under the conditions described in this paper will probably be more representative of what happened on the prebiotic Earth.

Effect of γ-radiation on adenine dissolved in distilled water, saline solutions and artificial seawater resembling that of 4.0 billion years ago

“…Of course, control experiments (in distilled water) are necessary to provide an idea of the effect of the ions. We observed that this seawater influences the stability of minerals and the adsorption of nucleic acid bases (Anizelli et al ., 2015, 2016; Canhisares-Filho et al ., 2015; Carneiro et al ., 2017; Villafañe-Barajas et al ., 2018; Zaia et al ., 2018). In addition, the interaction of cations of seawater (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Sr 2+ and Na + ) with nucleic acid bases changed their reactivity (Anizelli et al ., 2014; Baú et al ., 2019).…”

“…Based on the work of Izawa et al (2010), who performed an experiment through leaching of meteorite samples in Tagish Lake, Zaia (2012) suggested a model of artificial seawater. For several years our group has been working with this artificial seawater model, which probably better resembles the major ions of the ocean of the prebiotic Earth (Anizelli et al, 2014(Anizelli et al, , 2015(Anizelli et al, , 2016Canhisares-Filho et al, 2015;Carneiro et al, 2017;Villafañe-Barajas et al, 2018;Zaia et al, 2018;Baú et al, 2019). Unlike the seawater in the oceans today that have a high concentration of Na + and Cl − (Bearman, 2004), this artificial seawater contains high concentrations of Mg 2+ and SO 4 2− (Zaia, 2012).…”

Study of the formation of ferrihydrite under prebiotic chemistry conditions: artificial seawater 4.0 Gy and ammonium thiocyanate

“…Since the Fe 3+ ion is considered a hard acid, the metal coordinates with the SCN − ion through nitrogen to form isothiocyanate complexes (Pearson, 1963). It is well known that goethite is formed when sulphur compounds interact with the Fe 3+ cation Cornell and Schwertmann, 2003;Vu and Moreau, 2015;Carneiro et al, 2013;Samulewski et al, 2020). Therefore, this may be an indication that Fe 3+ interacted with the SCN − ion also by sulphur.…”

“…The authors obtained the following order of cations: Mg 2+ > Ca 2+ >> Na + ≈ K +, and anions: SO 4 2− >> Cl − . In the last few years, we have been using this artificial seawater, 4.0 Gy and the results showed that the ion composition of seawater has an effect on the adsorption of nucleic acid bases as well as on the stability of the minerals (Canhisares-Filho et al ., 2015; Anizelli et al ., 2016 a , b ; Carneiro et al ., 2017; Villafañe-Barajas et al ., 2018; Zaia et al ., 2018).…”

Relato De Uma Oficina De Fotocatálise Como Forma De Conscientização Ambiental E Aproximação Entre Ensino Superior E Educação Básica

“…A adsorção desse aminoácido em quartzo e calcita e as implicações para a origem da vida foram avaliadas por Churchill e colaboradores (2004) (CANHISARES-FILHO et al, 2015;CARNEIRO et al, 2017;FARIAS et al, 2016) a outra com uma composição salina quase três vezes maior que a do mar atual e com uma variedade de 10 elementos químicos presentes na formulação foi elaborada para o estudo para observar a contribuição do ambiente nos processos de adsorção.…”