Detection of Biosignatures using Geomatrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry: Implications for the Search for Life in the Solar System

Detection of bio/organic signatures, defined as an organic structure produced by living organisms or derived from other biogenic organic compounds, is essential to investigating the origin and distribution of extant or extinct life in the solar system. In conjunction with mineralogical, inorganic, and isotopic data, the detection and identification of bio/organic signatures can assist in linking biochemical and geochemical processes. Geomatrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (GALDI) in conjunction with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS) is a proven method of obtaining bio/organic signatures from a range of geological materials. Sulfate salts were studied because they are found on Mars and Jovian satellites. The goal here was to determine (1) which combinations of bio/organic compounds and sulfate salts produced distinctive spectral signatures, and (2) the detection limit of the method. In these experiments, thenardite (Na2SO4) was mixed with stearic acid to determine the detection limit of GALDI-FTICR-MS, previously estimated to be 3 ppt, which corresponds to approximately 7 zeptomoles (10-21) per laser shot. All spectra were collected with little to no sample preparation and were acquired using a single laser shot. Unlike conventional analytical practices, the signal-to-noise ratio increased as the concentration of bio/organic compounds decreased relative to the mineral host. In combination with thenardite, aromatic amino acids were observed to undergo simple cation attachment ([M+Na]+) due to the π-bonded aromatic ring. Subsequent cation substitution of the carboxyl group led to formation of peaks representing double cation attachment ([M-H+Na]Na+). Spectra from naturally occurring thenardite and jarosite (XFe3(OH)6(SO4)2) revealed the presence of high mass cluster ions; analysis of their isotopic distribution suggested the presence of bio/organic compounds. High mass cluster ions, both organic and inorganic, readily form in the gas phase during analysis; identification of such cluster ions requires systematic procedures based on isotopic distribution. Coupled with specialized software, GALDI-FTICR-MS can systematically identify the presence of biological matter from a wide range of synthetic and naturally occurring geological materials, while operating with high spatial resolution and high mass accuracy.