Quantum yields of decomposition and homo-dimerization of solid L-alanine induced by 7.2 eV Vacuum ultraviolet light irradiation: an estimate of the half-life of L-alanine on the surface of space objects

One of the leading hypotheses regarding the origin of prebiotic molecules on primitive Earth is that they formed from inorganic molecules in extraterrestrial environments and were delivered by meteorites, space dust and comets. To evaluate the availability of extraterrestrial amino acids, it is necessary to examine their decomposition and oligomerization rates as induced by extraterrestrial energy sources, such as vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) and X-ray photons and high energy particles. This paper reports the quantum yields of decomposition ((8.2 ± 0.7) × 10(-2) photon(-1)) and homo-dimerization ((1.2 ± 0.3) × 10(-3) photon(-1)) and decomposition of the dimer (0.24 ± 0.06 photon(-1)) of solid L-alanine (Ala) induced by VUV light with an energy of 7.2 eV. Using these quantum yields, the half-life of L-Ala on the surface of a space object in the present earth orbit was estimated to be about 52 days, even when only photons with an energy of 7.2 eV emitted from the present Sun were considered. The actual half-life of solid L-Ala on the surface of a space object orbit around the present day Earth would certainly be much shorter than our estimate, because of the added effect of photons and particles of other energies. Thus, we propose that L-Ala needs to be shielded from solar VUV in protected environments, such as the interior of a meteorite, within a time scale of days after synthesis to ensure its arrival on the primitive Earth.

Photoionization mass spectrometric study of the prebiotic species formamide in the 10-20 eV photon energy range

A photoion mass spectrometry study of the prebiotic species formamide was carried out using synchrotron radiation over the photon energy range 10-20 eV. Photoion yield curves were measured for the parent ion and seven fragment ions. The ionization energy of formamide was determined as IE (1(2)A') = 10.220 +/- 0.005 eV, in agreement with a value obtained by high resolution photoelectron spectroscopy. The adiabatic energy of the first excited state of the ion, 1(2)A'', was revised to 10.55 eV. A comparison of the ionization energies of related formamides, amino acids, and polypeptides provides useful information on the varied effects of methylation and shows that polymerization does not substantially alter the ionization properties of the amino acid monomer units. Assignments of the fragment ions and the pathways of their formation by dissociative photoionization were made on the basis of ion appearance energies in conjunction with thermochemical data and the results of earlier electron impact mass spectral studies. Some of the dissociation pathways are considered to involve coupling between the 1(2)A' ground state and the low-lying 1(2)A'' excited state of the cation. Heats of formation are derived for all ions detected and are compared with literature values where they exist. Formation of the HNCO(+) ion occurs by two separate paths, one involving H(2) loss, the other H + H. In the conclusion a brief discussion is given of some astrophysical implications of these results.

Inactivation action spectra of Bacillus subtilis spores in extended ultraviolet wavelengths (50-300 nm) obtained with synchrotron radiation

Five types of Bacillus subtilis spores (UVR, UVS, UVP, RCE, and RCF) differing in repair and/or recombinational capabilities were exposed to monochromatic radiations at 13 wavelengths from 50 to 300 nm in vacuum. An improved biological irradiation system connected to a synchrotron radiation source was used to produce monochromatic UV radiation in this extended wavelength range with sufficient fluence to inactivate bacterial spores. From the survival curves obtained, the action spectra for the inactivation of the spores were depicted. Recombination-deficient RCE (recE) and RCF (recF) spores were more sensitive than the wild-type UVR spores in the entire range of wavelengths. This was considered to mean that DNA was the major target for the inactivation of the spores. Vacuum-UV radiations of 125-175 nm were effective in killing the spores, and distinct peaks of the sensitivity were seen with all types of the spores. Insensitivities at 190 and 100 nm were common to all five types of spores, indicating that these wavelengths were particularly impenetrant and absorbed by the outer layer materials. The vacuum-UV peaks centering at 150 nm were prominent in the spores defective in recombinational repair, while the far-UV peaks at around 235 and 270 nm were prominent in the UVS (uvrA ssp) and UVP (uvrA ssp polA) spores deficient in removal mechanisms of spore photoproducts. Thus, the profiles of the action spectra were explained by three factors; the penetration depth of each radiation in a spore, the efficiency of producing DNA damage that could cause inactivation, and the repair capacity of each type of spore.