Visualization and identification of single meteoritic organic molecules by atomic force microscopy.

ABSTRACT: Using high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) with CO-functionalized tips, we atomically resolved individual molecules from Murchison meteorite samples. We analyzed powdered Murchison meteorite material directly, as well as processed extracts that we prepared to facilitate characterization by AFM. From the untreated Murchison sample, we resolved very few molecules, as the sample contained mostly small molecules that could not be identified by AFM. By contrast, using a procedure based on several trituration and extraction steps with organic solvents, we isolated a fraction enriched in larger organic compounds. The treatment increased the fraction of molecules that could be resolved by AFM, allowing us to identify organic constituents and molecular moieties, such as polycyclic aromatic

SUBMITTER: Kaiser K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9305854 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature