Cited by 78Origins and Evolution of LifePaleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsAstro and Planetary Science

Supply of phosphate to early Earth by photogeochemistry after meteoritic weathering

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Ritson, Dougal J., Mojzsis, Stephen J., Sutherland, John. D.·2020·Nature Geoscience

Abstract

During terrestrial differentiation, the relatively small amount of phosphorus that migrated to the lithosphere was incorporated into igneous rock, predominantly in the form of basic calcium orthophosphate (Ca 10(PO 4)6(OH,F,Cl)2, apatite). Yet, the highly insoluble nature of calcium apatite presents a significant problem to those contemplating the origin of life given the foundational role of phosphate (PO 4 3-) in extant biology and the apparent requirement for PO 4 3- as a catalyst, buffer and reagent in prebiotic chemistry. Reduced meteorites such as enstatite chondrites are highly enriched in phosphide minerals, and upon reaction with water these minerals can release phosphorus species of various oxidation states. Here, we demonstrate how reduced phosphorus species can be fully oxidized to PO 4 3- simply by the action of ultraviolet light on H 2 S/HS-. We used low pressure Hg lamps to simulate UV output from the young Sun and 31 P NMR spectroscopy to monitor the progress of reactions. Our experimental findings provide a cosmochemically and geochemically plausible means for supply of PO 4 3- that was widely available to prebiotic chemistry and nascent life on early Earth, and potentially on other planets.

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  • The invocation of ultraviolet light or lightning as the source of energy that drove the formation of first organic molecules is problematic because these energy sources are destructive of large molecules and it is hard to see how those energies could have been transferred to the interior of life's cradles.

    “The invocation of ultraviolet light or lightning as the source of energy that drove the formations of first organic molecules, with or without a proposed role of wet/dry cycles, is also problematic [29,77]. In part, because these energy sources are destructive of large molecules and because it is hard to see how those energies could have been transferred to the interior of life’s cradles.”

    From Opinion: The Key Steps in the Origin of Life to the Formation of the Eukaryotic Cell (2024) · cites this paper as [77]

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  1. [42]Shoemaker EM Interpretation of Lunar Craters Physics and Astronomy of the Moon Kopal Z Academic Press New York 1962

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Authors
Ritson, D. J., Mojzsis, S. J., & Sutherland, J. D.
Affiliations
  • MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (GB)
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
Corresponding author
Mojzsis, Stephen J.
Venue
Nature Geoscience
Published
2020-03-23
Volume
13
Issue
5
Pages
344-348
ISSN
  • 1752-0894 (ISSN-L)
  • 1752-0908
OpenAlex
W3012831771
Cited by
78
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 4
FWCI
5.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Geoscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
Keywords
phosphate supply, early Earth, hydrogen sulfide, ultraviolet radiation, prebiotic chemistry, meteorites, phosphorus oxidation

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