Prebiotic potential of aerosols

Author

Emma Rae Shipley, University of Northern IowaFollow

Award/Availability

Open Access Honors Program Thesis

First Advisor

Joshua Sebree, Honors Thesis Advisor

Keywords

Titan (Satellite)--Atmosphere; Atmosphere; Atmospheric aerosols; Life--Origin;

Abstract

A triple quadrupole gas chromatograpy mass spectrometer (GC/MS/QQQ) was used to determine prebiotic molecules of interest in plasma and photochemical aerosols. Glycolic acid was further studied using isotopically doped gases. Plasma and photochemical aerosol analogs were shown to have nucleobases and a few amino acids. Each type of aerosol was also the source of glycolic acid, a precursor to glycine. Using ¹⁸O doped CO, it was determined that contamination was not a source of oxygen in the samples. Using different combinations of ¹³C doped gases in 1:1 combinations of CO and CH₄, it was determined that under present reaction conditions ¹³C in high concentrations shuts down the photochemistry in the chamber.

Year of Submission

2018

Department

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

University Honors Designation

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the designation University Honors

Date Original

2018

Object Description

1 PDF file (17 pages)

Copyright

©2018 Emma Rae Shipley

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Shipley, Emma Rae, "Prebiotic potential of aerosols" (2018). Honors Program Theses. 340.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/hpt/340