Sample Processing technique onboard ExoMars (MOMA) to analyze organic compounds by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

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[6225] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Mars

Scientific paper

With the aim of separating and detecting organic compounds from Martian soil onboard the Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) experiment of the ExoMars 2018 upcoming joint ESA/NASA mission, we have developed three different space compatible sample preparation techniques compatible with space missions, able to extract and analyze by GC-MS a wide range of volatile and refractory compounds, including chirality analysis. Then, a sample processing utilizing three derivatization/extraction reactions has been carried out. The first reaction is based on a silyl reagent N-Methyl-N- (Tert-Butyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) [1], the second one, N,N-Dimethylformamide Dimethylacetal (DMF-DMA) [2,3] is dedicated to the chirality detection and the third one is a thermochemolysis based on the use of tetramethylammoniumhydroxide (TMAH). The sample processing system is performed in an oven, dedicated to the MOMA experiment containing the solid sample (50-100mg). The internal temperature of the oven ranges from 20 to 900 °C. The extraction step is achieved by using thermodesorption in the range of 100 to 300°C for 5 to 20 min. Then, the chemical derivatization of the extracted compounds is performed directly on the soil sample by using a derivatyization capsule which contains a mixture of MTBSTFA-DMF or DMF-DMA solution when enantiomeric separation is required. By decreasing the polarity of the targeted molecules, this step allows their volatilization at a temperature below 250°C without any thermal degradation. Once derivatized, the volatile target molecules are trapped in a chemical trap and promptly desorbed into the gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. Thermochemolysis is directly performed in the oven at 400°C during 5 min with a 25% (w/w) methanol solution of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). Then, pyrolysis in the presence of TMAH allows both an efficient cleavage of polar bonds and the subsequent methylation of COOH, OH and NH2 groups, hence the release of less polar, GC-amenable compounds. By using thermochemolysis several families of biological molecules were detected such as fatty acids, n-alkenes and n-alkanols [4]. [1] A. Buch et al., Development of a gas chromatography compatible Sample Processing System (SPS) for the in-situ analysis of refractory organic matter in martian soil: preliminary result. Advances in Space Research 43, 143-151, 2009. [2] C. Freissinet et al., Journal of Chromatography A.1217 (5), 731-740, 2010. [3] U. Meierhenrich et al., Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 60, 13-26, 2001. [4] C. Geffroy-Rodier et al., Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 85, 2009.

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