A laboratory pilot for in situ analysis of refractory organic matter in Martian soil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The “Sample Analysis at Mars” project (SAM) is a multi purpose space experiment devoted to the in situ analysis of the Martian environment. It is designed to run multiple analyses on gas or solid samples, and eventually liquids, and is proposed to be part of the scientific payload of the future NASA Mars Science Laboratory 2009 (MSL 2009). One of its main objectives is to discover traces of a past or present life on the planet. Here is presented the laboratory pilot system for automated analysis of possibly refractory organic matter in Martian soil samples, which corresponds to a part of the Chemical Separation and Processing Laboratory of SAM experiment. It is a one-pot process performing, in a row, extraction, derivatization and transfer of the organic molecules to a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer for analysis. We have shown that such a system is able to detect 10 pmol of refractive material from a 100 mg sample of Atacama desert, which is a good Martian analogue for organics analysis. This pilot can handle and allow the analysis of a wide range of molecules, including carboxylic and amino acids, which are of utmost interest for the goal which is aimed. Further on, such a system is universal, and could be taken as a good start for any future in situ exploratory space mission.