Open AccessStereoisomeric Specificity and Soil Gas Disequilibria: Implications for Martian Life Detection
Author(s) -
Lee M. Keeley,
Edward D. Meyer,
John E. Zumberge,
Eric L. Bandurski,
Bartholomew Nagy
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0003-6919
DOI - 10.1128/am.29.2.229-233.1975
Subject(s) - astrobiology , martian , martian soil , environmental science , environmental chemistry , earth science , mars exploration program , chemistry , martian surface , geology , biology
Variations in the atmospheric composition of soil samples were monitored by mass spectrometry after the addition of mixtures of D- and L-carbohydrates and/or amino acids. The changes in concentrations of CO2 in these experiments were found to be related to the stereoisomeric configurations of the compounds with which the soil samples were enriched. The potential of this relationship provides a comparatively simple approach for detecting life in extraterrestrial soils.
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