Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Hydrocarbons such as CH<sub>4 </sub>are known to be formed through the Fischer-Tropsch or Sabatier type reactions in hydrothermal systems usually at temperatures above 100°C. Weathering of olivine is sometimes suggested to account for abiotic formatio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2011-06-01
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| Series: | Geochemical Transactions |
| Online Access: | http://www.geochemicaltransactions.com/content/12/1/6 |
| _version_ | 1811294411932303360 |
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| author | Crill Patrick Bastviken David Duc Nguyen Neubeck Anna Holm Nils G |
| author_facet | Crill Patrick Bastviken David Duc Nguyen Neubeck Anna Holm Nils G |
| author_sort | Crill Patrick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Hydrocarbons such as CH<sub>4 </sub>are known to be formed through the Fischer-Tropsch or Sabatier type reactions in hydrothermal systems usually at temperatures above 100°C. Weathering of olivine is sometimes suggested to account for abiotic formation of CH<sub>4 </sub>through its redox lowering and water splitting properties. Knowledge about the CH<sub>4 </sub>and H<sub>2 </sub>formation processes at low temperatures is important for the research about the origin and cause of early Earth and Martian CH<sub>4 </sub>and for CO<sub>2 </sub>sequestration. We have conducted a series of low temperature, long-term weathering experiments in which we have tested the CH<sub>4 </sub>and H<sub>2 </sub>formation potential of forsteritic olivine.</p> <p>The results show low temperature CH<sub>4 </sub>production that is probably influenced by chromite and magnetite as catalysts. Extensive analyses of a potential CH<sub>4 </sub>source trapped in the crystal structure of the olivine showed no signs of incorporated CH<sub>4</sub>. Also, the available sources of organic carbon were not enough to support the total amount of CH<sub>4 </sub>detected in our experiments. There was also a linear relationship between silica release into solution and the net CH<sub>4 </sub>accumulation into the incubation bottle headspaces suggesting that CH<sub>4 </sub>formation under these conditions could be a qualitative indicator of olivine dissolution.</p> <p>It is likely that minerals such as magnetite, chromite and other metal-rich minerals found on the olivine surface catalyze the formation of CH<sub>4</sub>, because of the low temperature of the system. This may expand the range of environments plausible for abiotic CH<sub>4 </sub>formation both on Earth and on other terrestrial bodies.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:17:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0c845ed77292476ebad34edaf69fe6fb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1467-4866 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T05:17:08Z |
| publishDate | 2011-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geochemical Transactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c845ed77292476ebad34edaf69fe6fb2022-12-22T03:00:51ZengBMCGeochemical Transactions1467-48662011-06-01121610.1186/1467-4866-12-6Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°CCrill PatrickBastviken DavidDuc NguyenNeubeck AnnaHolm Nils G<p>Abstract</p> <p>Hydrocarbons such as CH<sub>4 </sub>are known to be formed through the Fischer-Tropsch or Sabatier type reactions in hydrothermal systems usually at temperatures above 100°C. Weathering of olivine is sometimes suggested to account for abiotic formation of CH<sub>4 </sub>through its redox lowering and water splitting properties. Knowledge about the CH<sub>4 </sub>and H<sub>2 </sub>formation processes at low temperatures is important for the research about the origin and cause of early Earth and Martian CH<sub>4 </sub>and for CO<sub>2 </sub>sequestration. We have conducted a series of low temperature, long-term weathering experiments in which we have tested the CH<sub>4 </sub>and H<sub>2 </sub>formation potential of forsteritic olivine.</p> <p>The results show low temperature CH<sub>4 </sub>production that is probably influenced by chromite and magnetite as catalysts. Extensive analyses of a potential CH<sub>4 </sub>source trapped in the crystal structure of the olivine showed no signs of incorporated CH<sub>4</sub>. Also, the available sources of organic carbon were not enough to support the total amount of CH<sub>4 </sub>detected in our experiments. There was also a linear relationship between silica release into solution and the net CH<sub>4 </sub>accumulation into the incubation bottle headspaces suggesting that CH<sub>4 </sub>formation under these conditions could be a qualitative indicator of olivine dissolution.</p> <p>It is likely that minerals such as magnetite, chromite and other metal-rich minerals found on the olivine surface catalyze the formation of CH<sub>4</sub>, because of the low temperature of the system. This may expand the range of environments plausible for abiotic CH<sub>4 </sub>formation both on Earth and on other terrestrial bodies.</p>http://www.geochemicaltransactions.com/content/12/1/6 |
| spellingShingle | Crill Patrick Bastviken David Duc Nguyen Neubeck Anna Holm Nils G Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C Geochemical Transactions |
| title | Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C |
| title_full | Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C |
| title_fullStr | Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C |
| title_full_unstemmed | Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C |
| title_short | Formation of H<sub>2 </sub>and CH<sub>4 </sub>by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°C |
| title_sort | formation of h sub 2 sub and ch sub 4 sub by weathering of olivine at temperatures between 30 and 70°c |
| url | http://www.geochemicaltransactions.com/content/12/1/6 |
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