Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds
Abstract It has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is responsible for the destruction of organic compounds on the surface of Mars. When combined with the photochemically-driven production of oxychlorines (ClOx) it can generate highly reactive species that can alter or destroy organic compo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57968-1 |
| _version_ | 1797219841191444480 |
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| author | Jacob Newmark Samuel P. Kounaves |
| author_facet | Jacob Newmark Samuel P. Kounaves |
| author_sort | Jacob Newmark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract It has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is responsible for the destruction of organic compounds on the surface of Mars. When combined with the photochemically-driven production of oxychlorines (ClOx) it can generate highly reactive species that can alter or destroy organic compounds. However, it has been assumed that since UV only penetrates the top few millimeters of the martian regolith, reactive ClOx oxidants are only produced on the surface. Of all the oxychlorine intermediates produced, gaseous chlorine dioxide [ClO2(g)] is of particular interest, being a highly reactive gas with the ability to oxidize organic compounds. Here we report on a set of experiments under Mars ambient conditions showing the production and permeation of ClO2(g) and its reaction with alanine as a test compound. Contrary to the accepted paradigm that UV irradiation on Mars only interacts with a thin layer of surface regolith, our results show that photochemically-generated ClO2(g) can permeate below the surface, depositing ClOx species (mainly Cl− and $${\text{ClO}}_{3}^{ - }$$ ClO 3 - ) and destroying organic compounds. With varying levels of humidity and abundant chloride and oxychlorines on Mars, our findings show that permeation of ClO2(g) must be considered as a significant contributing factor in altering, fragmenting, or potentially destroying buried organic compounds on Mars. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:40:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0314aabf6c564db89379bd48f881f805 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T12:40:03Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-0314aabf6c564db89379bd48f881f8052024-04-07T11:16:50ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-04-0114111210.1038/s41598-024-57968-1Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compoundsJacob Newmark0Samuel P. Kounaves1Department of Chemistry, Tufts UniversityDepartment of Chemistry, Tufts UniversityAbstract It has been shown that ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is responsible for the destruction of organic compounds on the surface of Mars. When combined with the photochemically-driven production of oxychlorines (ClOx) it can generate highly reactive species that can alter or destroy organic compounds. However, it has been assumed that since UV only penetrates the top few millimeters of the martian regolith, reactive ClOx oxidants are only produced on the surface. Of all the oxychlorine intermediates produced, gaseous chlorine dioxide [ClO2(g)] is of particular interest, being a highly reactive gas with the ability to oxidize organic compounds. Here we report on a set of experiments under Mars ambient conditions showing the production and permeation of ClO2(g) and its reaction with alanine as a test compound. Contrary to the accepted paradigm that UV irradiation on Mars only interacts with a thin layer of surface regolith, our results show that photochemically-generated ClO2(g) can permeate below the surface, depositing ClOx species (mainly Cl− and $${\text{ClO}}_{3}^{ - }$$ ClO 3 - ) and destroying organic compounds. With varying levels of humidity and abundant chloride and oxychlorines on Mars, our findings show that permeation of ClO2(g) must be considered as a significant contributing factor in altering, fragmenting, or potentially destroying buried organic compounds on Mars.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57968-1 |
| spellingShingle | Jacob Newmark Samuel P. Kounaves Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds Scientific Reports |
| title | Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| title_full | Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| title_fullStr | Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| title_short | Permeation of photochemically-generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on Mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| title_sort | permeation of photochemically generated gaseous chlorine dioxide on mars as a significant factor in destroying subsurface organic compounds |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57968-1 |
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