Detailed analytical study of radiolysis products of simple organic compounds as a methodological approach to investigate prebiotic chemistry—Part 1

Abstract

Aqueous solutions of simple organic C1 compounds (methanol and acetonitrile) and ammonia, presumably present on primordial Earth, were subjected to 60Co gamma irradiation (total dose 800 kGy). The irradiation gave a complex mixture of organic compounds leading interestingly to a positive balance of synthesis vs. degradation reactions. In particular, if acetonitrile was used, nucleobase analogues could be detected among products. Highly sensitive and powerful analytical techniques (e.g. GC–MS, HPLC-MS) made this investigation feasible at a reasonable cost in terms of time and results. Plausible reaction pathways leading to major compounds were proposed, supported by literature data.