Contact between water vapor and silicate surface causes abiotic formation of reactive oxygen species in an anoxic atmosphere.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 120(30): e2302014120, 2023 Jul 25.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37459548
ABSTRACT
Spontaneous generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in aqueous microdroplets or at a water vapor-silicate interface is a new source of redox chemistry. However, such generation occurs with difficulty in liquid water having a large ionic strength. We report that ROS is spontaneously produced when water vapor contacts hydrogen-bonded hydroxyl groups on a silicate surface. The evolution of hydrogen-bonded species such as hydroxyl groups was investigated by using two-dimensional, time-resolved FT-IR spectroscopy. The participation of water vapor in ROS generation is confirmed by investigating the reaction of D2O vapor and hydroxyl groups on a silicate surface. We propose a reaction pathway for ROS generation based on the change of the hydrogen-bonding network and corresponding electron transfer onto the silicate surface in the water vapor-solid contact process. Our observations suggest that ROS production from water vapor-silicate contact electrification could have contributed to oxidation during the Archean Eon before the Great Oxidation Event.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
Language:
En
Journal:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:
2023
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
China