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Aslanbay
Guler B, Demirel Z, Imamoglu E. Comparative Evaluation of Chemical Garden Growth Techniques. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:13611-13619. [PMID: 37712591 PMCID: PMC10537426 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Chemical gardens are an exciting area of self-organized precipitation structures that form nano- and micro-sized structures in different shapes. This field has attracted great interest from researchers due to the specific characteristics and potential applications of these structures. Today, research on chemical gardens has provided deeper information regarding the formation mechanisms of these structures, and several techniques have been developed for chemical garden growth. However, they all show different growth patterns and lead to the formation of structures with a variety of morphological, chemical, or physical properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different production techniques on chemical garden growth, taking into consideration the growth patterns, morphology, microstructure, and chemical composition. The chemical garden structures obtained in seed and injection experiments, two common methods, showed highly similar surface structures, void formation, and chemical composition. The membrane growth method has a small number of applications; thus, it was comprehensively evaluated to add new insights to the existing limited data. It produced the most stable and standard structures in a flat sheet-like shape and showed different morphologies than those observed in other two methods. Overall, this study presented significant results about the effect of growth techniques on chemical garden structures and similar systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahar Aslanbay
Guler
- Department of Bioengineering,
Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Zeliha Demirel
- Department of Bioengineering,
Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Esra Imamoglu
- Department of Bioengineering,
Faculty of Engineering, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
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2
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Dynamic diffusion and precipitation processes across calcium silicate membranes. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 618:206-218. [PMID: 35338927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.03.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Chemical gardens are tubular inorganic structures exhibiting complex morphologies and interesting dynamic properties upon ageing, with coupled diffusion and precipitation processes keeping the systems out of equilibrium for extended periods of time. Calcium-based silica gardens should comprise membranes that mimic the microstructures occurring in ordinary Portland cement and/or silicate gel layers observed around highly reactive siliceous aggregates in concrete. EXPERIMENTS Single macroscopic silica garden tubes were prepared using pellets of calcium chloride and sodium silicate solution. The composition of the mineralized tubes was characterized by means of various ex-situ techniques, while time-dependent monitoring of the solutions enclosed by and surrounding the membrane gives insight into the spatiotemporal distribution of the different ionic species. The latter data reflect transport properties and precipitation reactions in the system, thus allowing its complex dynamic behavior to be resolved. FINDINGS The results show that in contrast to the previously studied cases of iron- and cobalt-based silica gardens, the formed calcium silicate membrane is homogeneous and ultimately becomes impermeable to all species except water, hydroxide and sodium ions, resulting in the permanent conservation of considerable concentration gradients across the membrane. The insights gained in this work may help elucidate the nature and mechanisms of ion diffusion in Portland cements and concrete, especially those occurring during initial hydration of calcium silicates and the so-called alkali-silica reaction (ASR), one of the major concrete deterioration mechanisms causing serious problems with respect to the durability of concrete and the restricted use of many potential sources of raw materials.
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3
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Getenet M, Rieder J, Kellermeier M, Kunz W, Manuel García-Ruiz J. Tubular Structures of Calcium Carbonate: Formation, Characterization, and Implications in Natural Mineral Environments. Chemistry 2021; 27:16135-16144. [PMID: 34590745 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202101417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Chemical gardens are self-assembled tubular precipitates formed by a combination of osmosis, buoyancy, and chemical reaction, and thought to be capable of catalyzing prebiotic condensation reactions. In many cases, the tube wall is a bilayer structure with the properties of a diaphragm and/or a membrane. The interest in silica gardens as microreactors for materials science has increased over the past decade because of their ability to create long-lasting electrochemical potential. In this study, we have grown single macroscopic tubes based on calcium carbonate and monitored their time-dependent behavior by in situ measurements of pH, ionic concentrations inside and outside the tubular membranes, and electrochemical potential differences. Furthermore, we have characterized the composition and structure of the tubular membranes by using ex situ X-ray diffraction, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopy. Based on the collected data, we propose a physicochemical mechanism for the formation and ripening of these peculiar CaCO3 structures and compare the results to those of other chemical garden systems. We find that the wall of the macroscopic calcium carbonate tubes is a bilayer of texturally distinct but compositionally similar calcite showing high crystallinity. The resulting high density of the material prevents macroscopic calcium carbonate gardens from developing significant electrochemical potential differences. In the light of these observations, possible implications in materials science and prebiotic (geo)chemistry are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melese Getenet
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, 18100, Granada, Spain
| | - Julian Rieder
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kellermeier
- Material Physics, BASF SE, RAA/OS-B007, Carl-Bosch-Strasse 38, 67056, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany
| | - Werner Kunz
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra (CSIC-UGR), Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, 18100, Granada, Spain
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4
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Bizzarri BM, Saladino R, Delfino I, García-Ruiz JM, Di Mauro E. Prebiotic Organic Chemistry of Formamide and the Origin of Life in Planetary Conditions: What We Know and What Is the Future. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020917. [PMID: 33477625 PMCID: PMC7831497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The goal of prebiotic chemistry is the depiction of molecular evolution events preceding the emergence of life on Earth or elsewhere in the cosmos. Plausible experimental models require geochemical scenarios and robust chemistry. Today we know that the chemical and physical conditions for life to flourish on Earth were at work much earlier than thought, i.e., earlier than 4.4 billion years ago. In recent years, a geochemical model for the first five hundred million years of the history of our planet has been devised that would work as a cradle for life. Serpentinization processes in the Hadean eon affording self-assembled structures and vesicles provides the link between the catalytic properties of the inorganic environment and the impressive chemical potential of formamide to produce complete panels of organic molecules relevant in pre-genetic and pre-metabolic processes. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, we propose basic transformations connecting geochemistry to the chemistry of formamide, and we hint at the possible extension of this perspective to other worlds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mattia Bizzarri
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (B.M.B.); (I.D.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Raffaele Saladino
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (B.M.B.); (I.D.); (E.D.M.)
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (J.M.G.-R.)
| | - Ines Delfino
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (B.M.B.); (I.D.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, 18100 Granada, Spain
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (J.M.G.-R.)
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (B.M.B.); (I.D.); (E.D.M.)
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5
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Mineral Vesicles and Chemical Gardens from Carbonate-Rich Alkaline Brines of Lake Magadi, Kenya. CRYSTALS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/cryst10060467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Mineral vesicles and chemical gardens are self-organized biomimetic structures that form via abiotic mineral precipitation. These membranous structures are known to catalyze prebiotic reactions but the extreme conditions required for their synthesis has cast doubts on their formation in nature. Apart from model solutions, these structures have been shown to form in serpentinization-driven natural silica-rich water and by fluid-rock interaction of model alkaline solutions with granites. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that self-assembled hollow mineral vesicles and gardens can be synthesized in natural carbonate-rich soda lake water. We have synthesized these structures by a) pouring saturated metal salt solutions, and b) by immersing metal salt pellets in brines collected from Lake Magadi (Kenya). The resulting structures are analyzed by using SEM coupled with EDX analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. Our results suggest that mineral self-assembly could have been a common phenomenon in soda oceans of early Earth and Earth-like planets and moons. The composition of the obtained vesicles and gardens confirms the recent observation that carbonate minerals in soda lakes sequestrate Ca, thus leaving phosphate behind in solution available for biochemical reactions. Our results strengthens the proposal that alkaline brines could be ideal sites for “one-pot” synthesis of prebiotic organic compounds and the origin of life.
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6
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García-Ruiz JM, van Zuilen MA, Bach W. Mineral self-organization on a lifeless planet. Phys Life Rev 2020; 34-35:62-82. [PMID: 32303465 DOI: 10.1016/j.plrev.2020.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
It has been experimentally demonstrated that, under alkaline conditions, silica is able to induce the formation of mineral self-assembled inorganic-inorganic composite materials similar in morphology, texture and nanostructure to the hybrid biomineral structures that, millions of years later, life was able to self-organize. These mineral self-organized structures (MISOS) have been also shown to work as effective catalysts for prebiotic chemical reactions and to easily create compartmentalization within the solutions where they form. We reason that, during the very earliest history of this planet, there was a geochemical scenario that inevitably led to the existence of a large-scale factory of simple and complex organic compounds, many of which were relevant to prebiotic chemistry. The factory was built on a silica-rich high-pH ocean and powered by two main factors: a) a quasi-infinite source of simple carbon molecules synthesized abiotically from reactions associated with serpentinization, or transported from meteorites and produced from their impact on that alkaline ocean, and b) the formation of self-organized silica-metal mineral composites that catalyze the condensation of simple molecules in a methane-rich reduced atmosphere. We discuss the plausibility of this geochemical scenario, review the details of the formation of MISOS and its catalytic properties and the transition towards a slightly alkaline to neutral ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada, Av. de las Palmeras 4, Armilla (Granada), Spain.
| | - Mark A van Zuilen
- Equipe Géomicrobiologie, Université de Paris, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France.
| | - Wolfgang Bach
- Geoscience Department and MARUM, University of Bremen, Klagenfurter Str. 2, 28359 Bremen, Germany.
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7
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Mattia Bizzarri B, Botta L, Pérez-Valverde MI, Saladino R, Di Mauro E, García-Ruiz JM. Silica Metal Oxide Vesicles Catalyze Comprehensive Prebiotic Chemistry. Chemistry 2018; 24:8126-8132. [PMID: 29603465 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201706162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
It has recently been demonstrated that mineral self-assembled structures catalyzing prebiotic chemical reactions may form in natural waters derived from serpentinization, a geological process widespread in the early stages of Earth-like planets. We have synthesized self-assembled membranes by mixing microdrops of metal solutions with alkaline silicate solutions in the presence of formamide (NH2 CHO), a single-carbon molecule, at 80 °C. We found that these bilayer membranes, made of amorphous silica and metal oxide/hydroxide nanocrystals, catalyze the condensation of formamide, yielding the four nucleobases of RNA, three amino acids and, several carboxylic acids in a single-pot experiment. Besides manganese, iron and magnesium, two abundant elements in the earliest Earth crust that are key in serpentinization reactions, are enough to produce all these biochemical compounds. These results suggest that the transition from inorganic geochemistry to prebiotic organic chemistry is common on a universal scale and, most probably, occurred earlier than ever thought for our planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Mattia Bizzarri
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Botta
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Maritza Iveth Pérez-Valverde
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la, Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad de, Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, Granada, 18100, Spain
| | - Raffaele Saladino
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Ecological and Biological Sciences Department (DEB), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la, Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad de, Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, Granada, 18100, Spain
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8
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Rouillard J, García‐Ruiz J, Gong J, van Zuilen MA. A morphogram for silica-witherite biomorphs and its application to microfossil identification in the early earth rock record. GEOBIOLOGY 2018; 16:279-296. [PMID: 29485245 PMCID: PMC5947568 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Archean hydrothermal environments formed a likely site for the origin and early evolution of life. These are also the settings, however, were complex abiologic structures can form. Low-temperature serpentinization of ultramafic crust can generate alkaline, silica-saturated fluids in which carbonate-silica crystalline aggregates with life-like morphologies can self-assemble. These "biomorphs" could have adsorbed hydrocarbons from Fischer-Tropsch type synthesis processes, leading to metamorphosed structures that resemble carbonaceous microfossils. Although this abiogenic process has been extensively cited in the literature and has generated important controversy, so far only one specific biomorph type with a filamentous shape has been discussed for the interpretation of Archean microfossils. It is therefore critical to precisely determine the full distribution in morphology and size of these biomorphs, and to study the range of plausible geochemical conditions under which these microstructures can form. Here, a set of witherite-silica biomorph synthesis experiments in silica-saturated solutions is presented, for a range of pH values (from 9 to 11.5) and barium ion concentrations (from 0.6 to 40 mmol/L BaCl2 ). Under these varying conditions, a wide range of life-like structures is found, from fractal dendrites to complex shapes with continuous curvature. The size, spatial concentration, and morphology of the biomorphs are strongly controlled by environmental parameters, among which pH is the most important. This potentially limits the diversity of environments in which the growth of biomorphs could have occurred on Early Earth. Given the variety of the observed biomorph morphologies, our results show that the morphology of an individual microstructure is a poor criterion for biogenicity. However, biomorphs may be distinguished from actual populations of cellular microfossils by their wide, unimodal size distribution. Biomorphs grown by diffusion in silica gel can be differentiated by their continuous gradient in size, spatial density, and morphology along the direction of diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Rouillard
- Equipe GéomicrobiologieInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris CitéUniversité Paris Diderot, UMR 7154, CNRSParisFrance
| | - J.‐M. García‐Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios CristalográficosInstituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la TierraConsejo Superior de Investígacìones Cientificas–Universidad de GranadaGranadaSpain
| | - J. Gong
- Equipe GéomicrobiologieInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris CitéUniversité Paris Diderot, UMR 7154, CNRSParisFrance
| | - M. A. van Zuilen
- Equipe GéomicrobiologieInstitut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris CitéUniversité Paris Diderot, UMR 7154, CNRSParisFrance
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9
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García-Ruiz JM, Nakouzi E, Kotopoulou E, Tamborrino L, Steinbock O. Biomimetic mineral self-organization from silica-rich spring waters. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602285. [PMID: 28345049 PMCID: PMC5357132 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Purely inorganic reactions of silica, metal carbonates, and metal hydroxides can produce self-organized complex structures that mimic the texture of biominerals, the morphology of primitive organisms, and that catalyze prebiotic reactions. To date, these fascinating structures have only been synthesized using model solutions. We report that mineral self-assembly can be also obtained from natural alkaline silica-rich water deriving from serpentinization. Specifically, we demonstrate three main types of mineral self-assembly: (i) nanocrystalline biomorphs of barium carbonate and silica, (ii) mesocrystals and crystal aggregates of calcium carbonate with complex biomimetic textures, and (iii) osmosis-driven metal silicate hydrate membranes that form compartmentalized, hollow structures. Our results suggest that silica-induced mineral self-assembly could have been a common phenomenon in alkaline environments of early Earth and Earth-like planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel García-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, Granada 18100, Spain
| | - Elias Nakouzi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306–4390, USA
| | - Electra Kotopoulou
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, Granada 18100, Spain
| | - Leonardo Tamborrino
- Laboratorio de Estudios Cristalográficos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, Armilla, Granada 18100, Spain
| | - Oliver Steinbock
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306–4390, USA
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10
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Saladino R, Botta G, Bizzarri B, Di Mauro E, Garcia
Ruiz JM. A Global Scale Scenario for Prebiotic Chemistry: Silica-Based Self-Assembled Mineral Structures and Formamide. Biochemistry 2016; 55:2806-11. [PMID: 27115539 PMCID: PMC4872262 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The pathway from simple abiotically made organic compounds to the molecular bricks of life, as we know it, is unknown. The most efficient geological abiotic route to organic compounds results from the aqueous dissolution of olivine, a reaction known as serpentinization (Sleep, N.H., et al. (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101, 12818-12822). In addition to molecular hydrogen and a reducing environment, serpentinization reactions lead to high-pH alkaline brines that can become easily enriched in silica. Under these chemical conditions, the formation of self-assembled nanocrystalline mineral composites, namely silica/carbonate biomorphs and metal silicate hydrate (MSH) tubular membranes (silica gardens), is unavoidable (Kellermeier, M., et al. In Methods in Enzymology, Research Methods in Biomineralization Science (De Yoreo, J., Ed.) Vol. 532, pp 225-256, Academic Press, Burlington, MA). The osmotically driven membranous structures have remarkable catalytic properties that could be operating in the reducing organic-rich chemical pot in which they form. Among one-carbon compounds, formamide (NH2CHO) has been shown to trigger the formation of complex prebiotic molecules under mineral-driven catalytic conditions (Saladino, R., et al. (2001) Biorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 9, 1249-1253), proton irradiation (Saladino, R., et al. (2015) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 112, 2746-2755), and laser-induced dielectric breakdown (Ferus, M., et al. (2015) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 112, 657-662). Here, we show that MSH membranes are catalysts for the condensation of NH2CHO, yielding prebiotically relevant compounds, including carboxylic acids, amino acids, and nucleobases. Membranes formed by the reaction of alkaline (pH 12) sodium silicate solutions with MgSO4 and Fe2(SO4)3·9H2O show the highest efficiency, while reactions with CuCl2·2H2O, ZnCl2, FeCl2·4H2O, and MnCl2·4H2O showed lower reactivities. The collections of compounds forming inside and outside the tubular membrane are clearly specific, demonstrating that the mineral self-assembled membranes at the same time create space compartmentalization and selective catalysis of the synthesis of relevant compounds. Rather than requiring odd local conditions, the prebiotic organic chemistry scenario for the origin of life appears to be common at a universal scale and, most probably, earlier than ever thought for our planet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Saladino
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche, Università
della Tuscia, Via San
Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Giorgia Botta
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche, Università
della Tuscia, Via San
Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Bruno
Mattia Bizzarri
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Ecologiche e Biologiche, Università
della Tuscia, Via San
Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Istituto
Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti c/o Dipartimento di Biologia e
Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, University “Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Juan Manuel Garcia
Ruiz
- Laboratorio
de Estudios Crystalográficos, Instituto Andauz de Ciencias
de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada, Avenida de las Palmeras 4, E-18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
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11
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Abstract
A chemical garden based on iron salt that grows in organic solvents and ions is demonstrated for the first time. This prototype chemical garden develops in an inverted orientation, thus providing evidence that downward growth is feasible.
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12
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Gražulis S, Sarjeant AA, Moeck P, Stone-Sundberg J, Snyder TJ, Kaminsky W, Oliver AG, Stern CL, Dawe LN, Rychkov DA, Losev EA, Boldyreva EV, Tanski JM, Bernstein J, Rabeh WM, Kantardjieff KA. Crystallographic education in the 21st century. J Appl Crystallogr 2015; 48:1964-1975. [PMID: 26664347 PMCID: PMC4665665 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576715016830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There are many methods that can be used to incorporate concepts of crystallography into the learning experiences of students, whether they are in elementary school, at university or part of the public at large. It is not always critical that those who teach crystallography have immediate access to diffraction equipment to be able to introduce the concepts of symmetry, packing or molecular structure in an age- and audience-appropriate manner. Crystallography can be used as a tool for teaching general chemistry concepts as well as general research techniques without ever having a student determine a crystal structure. Thus, methods for younger students to perform crystal growth experiments of simple inorganic salts, organic compounds and even metals are presented. For settings where crystallographic instrumentation is accessible (proximally or remotely), students can be involved in all steps of the process, from crystal growth, to data collection, through structure solution and refinement, to final publication. Several approaches based on the presentations in the MS92 Microsymposium at the IUCr 23rd Congress and General Assembly are reported. The topics cover methods for introducing crystallography to undergraduate students as part of a core chemistry curriculum; a successful short-course workshop intended to bootstrap researchers who rely on crystallography for their work; and efforts to bring crystallography to secondary school children and non-science majors. In addition to these workshops, demonstrations and long-format courses, open-format crystallographic databases and three-dimensional printed models as tools that can be used to excite target audiences and inspire them to pursue a deeper understanding of crystallography are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saulius Gražulis
- Vilnius University Institute of Biotechnology, Graiciuno 8, LT-02241 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Amy Alexis Sarjeant
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Peter Moeck
- Nano-Crystallography Group, Department of Physics, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA
| | - Jennifer Stone-Sundberg
- Nano-Crystallography Group, Department of Physics, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA
- Crystal Solutions, LLC, Portland, OR 97205, USA
| | - Trevor J. Snyder
- Nano-Crystallography Group, Department of Physics, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA
- 3D Systems Corporation, Wilsonville, SW Parkway Avenue 60 E – 61, Wilsonville, OR 26600, USA
| | - Werner Kaminsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington at Seattle, Box 351700, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Allen G. Oliver
- Molecular Structure Facility, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556-5670, USA
| | - Charlotte L. Stern
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Louise N. Dawe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Denis A. Rychkov
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Kutateladze 18, Novosibirsk 630128, Russian Federation
- REC-008, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Evgeniy A. Losev
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Kutateladze 18, Novosibirsk 630128, Russian Federation
- REC-008, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Elena V. Boldyreva
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, Kutateladze 18, Novosibirsk 630128, Russian Federation
- REC-008, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Joseph M. Tanski
- Department of Chemistry, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | - Joel Bernstein
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael M. Rabeh
- New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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13
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Luminescent tubular precipitation structures from reactant-loaded pellets. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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14
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Barge LM, Cardoso SSS, Cartwright JHE, Cooper GJT, Cronin L, De Wit A, Doloboff IJ, Escribano B, Goldstein RE, Haudin F, Jones DEH, Mackay AL, Maselko J, Pagano JJ, Pantaleone J, Russell MJ, Sainz-Díaz CI, Steinbock O, Stone DA, Tanimoto Y, Thomas NL. From Chemical Gardens to Chemobrionics. Chem Rev 2015; 115:8652-703. [PMID: 26176351 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Barge
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Silvana S S Cardoso
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB2 3RA, United Kingdom
| | - Julyan H E Cartwright
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada , E-18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Geoffrey J T Cooper
- WestCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Leroy Cronin
- WestCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow , Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Anne De Wit
- Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ivria J Doloboff
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Bruno Escribano
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics , E-48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Raymond E Goldstein
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge , Cambridge CB3 0WA, United Kingdom
| | - Florence Haudin
- Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) , B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - David E H Jones
- Department of Chemistry, University of Newcastle upon Tyne , Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Alan L Mackay
- Birkbeck College, University of London , Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
| | - Jerzy Maselko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alaska , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
| | - Jason J Pagano
- Department of Chemistry, Saginaw Valley State University , University Center, Michigan 48710-0001, United States
| | - J Pantaleone
- Department of Physics, University of Alaska , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
| | - Michael J Russell
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology , Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - C Ignacio Sainz-Díaz
- Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, CSIC-Universidad de Granada , E-18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
| | - Oliver Steinbock
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University , Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - David A Stone
- Iron Shell LLC , Tucson, Arizona 85717, United States
| | - Yoshifumi Tanimoto
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Osaka Ohtani University , Tondabayashi 548-8540, Japan
| | - Noreen L Thomas
- Department of Materials, Loughborough University , Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
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15
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Kiehl M, Kaminker V, Pantaleone J, Nowak P, Dyonizy A, Maselko J. Spontaneous formation of complex structures made from elastic membranes in an aluminum-hydroxide-carbonate system. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2015; 25:064310. [PMID: 26117121 DOI: 10.1063/1.4922589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A popular playground for studying chemo-hydrodynamic patterns and instabilities is chemical gardens, also known as silicate gardens. In these systems, complex structures spontaneously form, driven by buoyant forces and either osmotic or mechanical pumps. Here, we report on systems that differ somewhat from classical chemical gardens in that the membranes are much more deformable and soluble. These properties lead to structures that self-construct and evolve in new ways. For example, they exhibit the formation of chemical balloons, a new growth mechanism for tubes, and also the homologous shrinking of these tubes. The stretching mechanism for the membranes is probably different than for other systems by involving membrane "self-healing." Other unusual properties are osmosis that sometimes occurs out of the structure and also small plumes that flow away from the structure, sometimes upwards, and sometimes downwards. Mathematical models are given that explain some of the observed phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah Kiehl
- Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA
| | - Vitaliy Kaminker
- Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA
| | - James Pantaleone
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Technical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Nowak
- Department of Physics/Astronomy, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA
| | - Agnieszka Dyonizy
- Department of Physics/Astronomy, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA
| | - Jerzy Maselko
- Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA
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16
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Eiblmeier J, Schürmann U, Kienle L, Gebauer D, Kunz W, Kellermeier M. New insights into the early stages of silica-controlled barium carbonate crystallisation. NANOSCALE 2014; 6:14939-14949. [PMID: 25362999 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05436a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Recent work has demonstrated that the dynamic interplay between silica and carbonate during co-precipitation can result in the self-assembly of unusual, highly complex crystal architectures with morphologies and textures resembling those typically displayed by biogenic minerals. These so-called biomorphs were shown to be composed of uniform elongated carbonate nanoparticles that are arranged according to a specific order over mesoscopic scales. In the present study, we have investigated the circumstances leading to the continuous formation and stabilisation of such well-defined nanometric building units in these inorganic systems. For this purpose, in situ potentiometric titration measurements were carried out in order to monitor and quantify the influence of silica on both the nucleation and early growth stages of barium carbonate crystallisation in alkaline media at constant pH. Complementarily, the nature and composition of particles occurring at different times in samples under various conditions were characterised ex situ by means of high-resolution electron microscopy and elemental analysis. The collected data clearly evidence that added silica affects carbonate crystallisation from the very beginning (i.e. already prior to, during, and shortly after nucleation), eventually arresting growth on the nanoscale by cementation of BaCO3 particles within a siliceous matrix. Our findings thus shed light on the fundamental processes driving bottom-up self-organisation in silica-carbonate materials and, for the first time, provide direct experimental proof that silicate species are responsible for the miniaturisation of carbonate crystals during growth of biomorphs, hence confirming previously discussed theoretical models for their formation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Eiblmeier
- Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstrasse 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
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17
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Steenbjerg Ibsen CJ, Mikladal BF, Bjørnholt Jensen U, Birkedal H. Hierarchical Tubular Structures Grown from the Gel/Liquid Interface. Chemistry 2014; 20:16112-20. [DOI: 10.1002/chem.201402741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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18
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Makki R, Ji X, Mattoussi H, Steinbock O. Self-Organized Tubular Structures as Platforms for Quantum Dots. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:6463-9. [DOI: 10.1021/ja501941d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rabih Makki
- Florida State University Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - Xin Ji
- Florida State University Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - Hedi Mattoussi
- Florida State University Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - Oliver Steinbock
- Florida State University Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
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