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In Situ Analysis of Organics with a Portable Mass SpectrometerThe search for extra-terrestrial life starts at home. In order to find life on other planets, we start by examining life processes we understand on the earth. Though it may not be possible to see the life in the form of macroscopic organisms, telltale signs of life can exist in the form of small organic molecules such as peptides and amino acids. Our overall goal is to test a portable mass spectrometer (MS) system, the Mini 10.5, for astrobiological applications including in situ hydrocarbon analysis and sediments analysis using an additional automated sample processing system (ASPS). The collaborative research focuses on two current projects in the field of astrobiology. Both projects are geared towards examining organics distributed in extreme environments. One portion of study attempts to qualitatively analyze the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOC) produced by diesel exhaust on lichens growing in the desert. This requires measurements to be taken by bringing the instrument to the Mojave Desert and monitoring atmospheric composition of VOCs in situ. The second project is to evaluate the miniature MS system as a detector for the ASPS extraction system. A major obstacle of any chemometric in situ analysis is the suppression of analyte signal by concomitant signal from the surrounding environment. The ASPS extraction device has been developed at JPL to extract amino acids from sediment samples and elute them in solution. The solution is eluted at a high pH and needs to be conditioned to a more neutral pH so that dissolved amino acids can be readily protonated and subsequently analyzed by electrospray MS.
Document ID
20120015838
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Other
External Source(s)
Authors
Soparawalla, Santosh
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 2011
Subject Category
Inorganic, Organic And Physical Chemistry
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
astrobiology
extreme environments
organics

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