Organic Compounds in Lunar Samples: Pyrolysis Products, Hydrocarbons, Amino Acids
- 30 January 1970
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Science
- Vol. 167 (3918), 770-773
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.167.3918.770
Abstract
Lunar fines and a chip from inside a rock pyrolyzed in helium at 700°C gave methane, other gases, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Benzene/methanol extracts of fines yielded traces of high molecular weight alkanes and sulfur. Traces of glycine, alanine, ethanolamine, and urea were found in aqueous extracts. Biological controls and a terrestrial rock, dunite, subjected to exhaust from the lunar module descent engine showed a different amino acid distribution. Interpretation of the origin of the carbon compounds requires extreme care, because of possible contamination acquired during initial sample processing.Keywords
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