Reactive phosphorus via simulated lightning discharge: A role for fulgurites in pre-biotic chemistry

被引:6
作者
Caliskanoglu, A. Zeynep [1 ]
Dingwell, Donald B. [1 ]
Cimarelli, Corrado [1 ]
Camara, Alessandra S. B. [2 ]
Breitzke, Hergen [3 ]
Buntkowsky, Gerd [3 ]
Pasek, Matthew A. [4 ]
Braun, Dieter [5 ]
Scheu, Bettina [1 ]
Molaverdikhani, Karan [6 ,7 ]
机构
[1] Ludwig Maximilians Univ Munchen, Dept Earth & Environm Sci, Theresienstr 41, D-80333 Munich, Germany
[2] Univ Bundeswehr, Inst Energy Syst Munich, Werner Heisenberg Weg 39, D-85577 Neubiberg, Germany
[3] Tech Univ Darmstadt, Inst Phys Chem, Alarich Weiss Str 8, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
[4] Univ S Florida, Sch Geosci, 4202 E Fowler Ave,NES 107, Tampa, FL 33620 USA
[5] Ludwig Maximilians Univ Munchen, Syst Biophys & Ctr Nanosci, Amalienstr 54, D-80799 Munich, Germany
[6] Ludwig Maximilians Univ Munchen, Univ Sternwarte, Scheinerstr 1, D-81679 Munich, Germany
[7] Exzellenzcluster Origins, Boltzmannstr 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
基金
欧洲研究理事会;
关键词
Fulgurite; Lightning discharge; Phosphorus; Experiment; EARLY EARTH; IRON-METEORITES; REDUCTION; PHOSPHORYLATION; SCHREIBERSITE; CORROSION; PHOSPHATE; ORIGIN; ROCKS; WATER;
D O I
10.1016/j.chemgeo.2023.121343
中图分类号
P3 [地球物理学]; P59 [地球化学];
学科分类号
0708 ; 070902 ;
摘要
Apatite is the most common phosphorus-bearing mineral in primary igneous rocks. Despite its early and ubiq-uitous presence in such rocks at the Earth's surface, its phosphorus exhibits a low reactivity in prebiotic chemosynthesis. This situation may change radically upon the transformation of phosphorus from orthophos-phates to pyrophosphates or phosphides which are, in contrast, highly reactive in such scenarios. Pyrophosphates and phosphides are today however, scarce on Earth, generally not being stabilized in rock-forming processes. Noticeable exceptions are lightning-struck rocks (i.e., fulgurites). Here, we present the first evidence of reactive phosphorus (P) in a fulgurite which has been experimentally generated under controlled conditions from natural apatite. Crushed apatite was transformed into a fulgurite through the application of controlled high voltage electrical discharges. We document both the apatite (pre-experiment) and the fulgurite (post-experiment) texture, state, and chemistry. 31P and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals the presence of a reactive P phase (pyrophosphate) in the fulgurite. Our results support the speculation that frequent lightning activity under early Earth conditions may have provided more than 100-10.000 kg/yr of reactive P on early Earth through the generation of reactive P-bearing fulgurites. Their presence may have enabled the chemo-synthesis of vital prebiotic components such as RNA and lipids for the emergence of life on Earth.
引用
收藏
页数:7
相关论文
共 45 条
[1]   Asphalt, Water, and the Prebiotic Synthesis of Ribose, Ribonucleosides, and RNA [J].
Benner, Steven A. ;
Kim, Hyo-Joong ;
Carrigan, Matthew A. .
ACCOUNTS OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH, 2012, 45 (12) :2025-2034
[2]   Earth's Phosphides in Levant and insights into the source of Archean prebiotic phosphorus [J].
Britvin, Sergey N. ;
Murashko, Michail N. ;
Vapnik, Yevgeny ;
Polekhovsky, Yury S. ;
Krivovichev, Sergey V. .
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 2015, 5
[3]   Direct evidence for the availability of reactive, water soluble phosphorus on the early Earth. H-Phosphinic acid from the Nantan meteorite [J].
Bryant, David E. ;
Kee, Terence P. .
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS, 2006, (22) :2344-2346
[4]   Electrochemical studies of iron meteorites: phosphorus redox chemistry on the early Earth [J].
Bryant, David E. ;
Greenfield, David ;
Walshaw, Richard D. ;
Evans, Suzanne M. ;
Nimmo, Alexander E. ;
Smith, Caroline L. ;
Wang, Liming ;
Pasek, Matthew A. ;
Kee, Terence P. .
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ASTROBIOLOGY, 2009, 8 (01) :27-36
[5]  
Buchwald V.F., 1984, ACTA POLYTECH SCAND, P1
[6]  
CLOCCHIATTI R, 1990, EUR J MINERAL, V2, P479
[7]   Reduction and activation of phosphate on the primitive earth [J].
De Graaf, RM ;
Schwartz, AW .
ORIGINS OF LIFE AND EVOLUTION OF THE BIOSPHERE, 2000, 30 (05) :405-410
[8]   LIGHTNING STRIKE FUSION - EXTREME REDUCTION AND METAL-SILICATE LIQUID IMMISCIBILITY [J].
ESSENE, EJ ;
FISHER, DC .
SCIENCE, 1986, 234 (4773) :189-193
[9]  
Frenzel G., 1978, NEUES JB MINERAL MON, V10, P439
[10]  
Frenzel G., 1989, CHEM ERDE-GEOCHEM, V49, P265