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Review of methods used in lunar organic analysis - Extraction and hydrolysis techniques.Extraction, hydrolysis, and crushing procedures have been useful in discovering some of the carbon compounds in lunar samples from the Apollo 11 and 12 missions. The nonaqueous solvent system used mostly in lunar sample work has been benzene:methanol. Two methods of extraction have been sonication and Soxhlet extraction, sonication appearing to be the preferred method. Extraction of lunar samples with water and acid hydrolysis of the water extract has proved to be the best method in the search for amino acids or their precursors. Direct acid hydrolysis of lunar samples provided evidence for the presence of carbides or carbide-like materials in lunar surface samples. Hydrolysis of lunar samples with DF, DC1, and NaOD has shown that methane and ethane are indigenous to the moon.
Document ID
19730033610
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kvenvolden, K. A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Exobiology Div., Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 7, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1972
Subject Category
Chemistry
Accession Number
73A18412
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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