Carbon K emission spectra of some simple organic compounds
Organic compounds carbon K emission spectra, using light element X ray spectrometer for aliphatic, aromatic and partly ionic substances spectral analysis
Koster, A. S.↗
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Racemization and the origin of optically active organic compounds in living organisms
The organic compounds synthesized in prebiotic experiments are racemic mixtures. A number of proposals have been offered to explain how asymmetric organic compounds formed on the Earth before life arose, with the influence of chiral weak nuclear interactions being the most frequent proposal. This and other proposed asymmetric syntheses give only sight enantiomeric excess and any slight excess will be degraded by racemization. This applies particularly to amino acids where half-lives of 10(5)-10(6) years are to be expected at temperatures characteristic of the Earth's surface. Since the generation of chiral molecules could not have been a significant process under geological conditions, the origins of this asymmetry must have occurred at the time of the origin of life or shortly thereafter. It is possible that the compounds in the first living organisms were prochiral rather than chiral; this is unlikely for amino acids, but it is possible for the monomers of RNA-like molecules.
NASA Discipline Exobiology↗
Demonstration of an Automated System for Vertical Profiles of Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play important roles throughout the atmosphere, many of which are altitude dependent. This highlights the need for easily deployable devices to sample VOCs across different atmospheric layers. To address this, we present the design and initial application of a Time Resolved Automated Volatile organIc compounds Sampling system (TRAVIS). VOCs are collected on sorbent tubes, which are subsequently analyzed by a thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry pipeline. TRAVIS leverages a piezoelectric pump with an integrated pressure sensor for precise (0.1% flow rate relative standard deviation) and accurate (−3 ± 2% error in VOC quantitation) measurements. Via deployment on a tethered balloon system over an agricultural area, TRAVIS is used to show consistent vertically resolved VOC concentrations in a well-mixed (i.e., turbulent) atmosphere (e.g., 5% relative standard deviation for isoprene) and vertically dependent concentrations for a stratified atmosphere (e.g., prior to boundary layer development). Furthermore, we also show VOC information from an intermittent plume via both targeted and untargeted analysis, highlighting future applications for spurious events in agriculture, air quality monitoring, and environmental impact. Overall, the development of TRAVIS represents a lightweight, accurate, sensitive, and precise VOC sampling module for the scientific community.
Aerosols↗
Hydrothermal Decomposition of Amino Acids and Origins of Prebiotic Meteoritic Organic Compounds
The organic compounds found in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites provide insight into primordial solar system chemistry. Evaluating the formation and decomposition mechanisms of meteoritic amino acids may aid our understanding of the origins of life and homochirality on Earth. The amino acid glycine is widespread in meteorites and other extraterrestrial environments; other amino acids, such as isovaline, are found with enantiomeric excesses in some meteorites. The relationship between meteoritic amino acids and other compounds with similar molecular structures, such as aliphatic monoamines and monocarboxylic acids is unclear; experimental results evaluating the decomposition of amino acids have produced inconclusive results about the preferred pathways, reaction intermediates, and if the conditions applied may be compatible with those occurring inside meteoritic parent bodies. In this work, we performed extensive tandem metadynamics, umbrella sampling, and committor analysis to simulate the neutral mild hydrothermal decomposition mechanisms of glycine and isovaline and put them into context for the origins of meteoritic organic compounds. Our ab initio simulations aimed to determine free energy profiles and decomposition pathways for glycine and isovaline. We found that under our modeled conditions, methylammonium, glycolic acid, and sec-butylamine are the most likely decomposition products. These results suggest that meteoritic aliphatic monocarboxylic acids are not produced from decomposition of meteoritic amino acids. Our results also indicate that the decomposition of L-isovaline prefers an enantioselective pathway resulting in the production of (S)-sec-butylamine.
Enhanced sampling↗
Volatile Organic Compounds in Bankhead National Forest (AMF3). August to September, 2025
The formation of atmospheric aerosols through the transformation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a fundamental process in aerosol-climate interactions, as these particles serve as cloud condensation nuclei and ultimately influence Earth’s radiative balance. However, there remains a critical need to quantify the effects of multiple coexisting VOC precursors on aerosol formation beyond the limitations of laboratory-scale studies. This research aims to advance the mechanistic understanding of secondary organic aerosol formation in the southeastern United States by investigating interactions among coexisting VOC precursors observed at the third ARM Mobile Facility located in the Bankhead National Forest. The dataset was generated from the deployment of Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s PTR-TOF 6000 X2 Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) for the real-time, continuous monitoring of VOCs from August 21 to September 15, 2025. To minimize sampling artifacts and compound losses, the PTR-ToF-MS inlet was connected to the cabin flow line by replacing the existing Tygon tubing with 1/2-inch outer diameter perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) tubing. The instrument operated on an hourly measurement cycle consisting of 8 minutes of zero-air measurements followed by 52 minutes of ambient air sampling, with a temporal resolution of 10 seconds. The dataset includes concentrations, reported in ppb, of methanol, acetone, acetonitrile, isoprene, methyl vinyl ketone and methacrolein (MVK + MACR), monoterpenes, benzene, toluene, and catechol.
Atmospheric concentration of volatile organic comp↗
Meteor wake in high frame-rate images--implications for the chemistry of ablated organic compounds
Extraterrestrial organic matter may have been chemically altered into forms more ameanable for prebiotic chemistry in the wake of a meteor after ablation. We measured the rate of cooling of the plasma in the meteor wake from the intensity decay just behind a meteoroid by freezing its motion in high frame-rate 1000 frames/s video images, with an intensified camera that has a short phosphor decay time. Though the resulting cooling rate was found to be lower than theoretically predicted, our calculations indicated that there would have been insufficient collisions to break apart large organic compounds before most reactive radicals and electrons were lost from the air plasma. Organic molecules delivered from space to the early Earth via meteors might therefore have survived in a chemically altered form. In addition, we discovered that relatively small meteoroids generated far-ultraviolet emission that is absorbed in the immediate environment of the meteoroid, which may chemically alter the atmosphere over a much larger region than previously recognized.
Meteoroids↗
RT-MATRIX: Measuring Total Organic Carbon by Photocatalytic Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inevitably accumulate in enclosed habitats such as the International Space Station and the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) as a result of human metabolism, material off-gassing, and leaking equipment. Some VOCs can negatively affect the quality of the crew's life, health, and performance; and consequently, the success of the mission. Air quality must be closely monitored to ensure a safe living and working environment. Currently, there is no reliable air quality monitoring system that meets NASA's stringent requirements for power, mass, volume, or performance. The ultimate objective of the project -- the development of a Real-Time, Miniaturized, Autonomous Total Risk Indicator System (RT.MATRIX).is to provide a portable, dual-function sensing system that simultaneously determines total organic carbon (TOC) and individual contaminants in air streams.
Source record↗
Thermodynamic equilibrium and the inorganic origin of organic compounds.
Formation of organic compounds under conditions of thermal equilibrium, noting aromatic compounds in solar nebula and gases activated to plasma state
SOLAR NEBULA↗
Particle-Phase Diffusion Modulates Partitioning of Semivolatile Organic Compounds to Aged Secondary Organic Aerosol
The diffusivity of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the bulk particle phase of a viscous atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) can have a profound impact on aerosol growth and size distribution dynamics. Here, we investigate the bulk diffusivity of SVOCs formed from photo-oxidation of isoprene as they partition to a bimodal aerosol consisting of an Aitken (potassium sulfate) and accumulation mode (aged α-pinene SOA) particles as a function of relative humidity (RH). The model analysis of the observed size distribution evolution shows that liquid-like diffusion coefficient values of D b > 10 –10 cm 2 s –1 fail to explain the growth of the Aitken mode. Instead, much lower values of Db between 2.5 × 10 –15 cm 2 s –1 at 32% RH and 8 × 10 –15 cm 2 s –1 at 82% RH were needed to successfully reproduce the growth of both modes. The diffusivity within the aged α-pinene SOA remains appreciably slow even at 80% RH, resulting in hindered partitioning of SVOCs to large viscous particles and allowing smaller and relatively less viscous particles to effectively absorb the available SVOCs and grow much faster than would be possible otherwise. Our results have important implications for modeling SOA formation and growth in the ambient atmosphere.
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Formation of Highly Oxidized Organic Compounds and Secondary Organic Aerosol from α-Thujene Ozonolysis
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
Extraterrestrial Organic Compounds in Meteorites
Many organic compounds or their precursors found in meteorites originated in the interstellar or circumstellar medium and were later incorporated into planetesimals during the formation of the solar system. There they either survived intact or underwent further processing to synthesize secondary products on the meteorite parent body. The most distinct feature of CI and CM carbonaceous chondrites, two types of stony meteorites, is their high carbon content (up to 3% of weight), either in the form of carbonates or of organic compounds. The bulk of the organic carbon consists of an insoluble macromolecular material with a complex structure. Also present is a soluble organic fraction, which has been analyzed by several separation and analytical procedures. Low detection limits can be achieved by derivatization of the organic molecules with reagents that allow for analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography. The CM meteorite Murchison has been found to contain more than 70 extraterrestrial amino acids and several other classes of compounds including carboxylic acids, hydroxy carboxylic acids, sulphonic and phosphonic acids, aliphatic, aromatic and polar hydrocarbons, fullerenes, heterocycles as well as carbonyl compounds, alcohols, amines and amides. The organic matter was found to be enriched in deuterium, and distinct organic compounds show isotopic enrichments of carbon and nitrogen relative to terrestrial matter.
Botta, Oliver↗
Volatile organic compound detection device
A volatile organic compound detection device includes a collector comprising: a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds given off from a patient's skin; a heater comprising a heating element, the heating element configured to emit a thermal pulse to desorb the volatile organic compounds from the collector material; and a flow channel configured to receive the volatile organic compounds desorbed by the heater; and a fastener configured to secure the collector to the patient's skin.
Arnold, Gary Stephen↗
Bacterial volatile organic compound specialists in the phycosphere
Abstract Labile dissolved organic carbon in the surface oceans accounts for about one-fourth of carbon produced through photosynthesis and turns over on average every 3 days, fueling one of the largest engines of microbial heterotrophic production on the planet. Volatile organic compounds are poorly constrained components of dissolved organic carbon. Here, we detected 72 m/z signals, corresponding to unique volatile organic compounds, including petroleum hydrocarbons, totaling ~18.5 nM in the culture medium of a model diatom. In five cocultures with bacteria adapted to grow with this diatom, 1–59 m/z signals were depleted. Two of the most active volatile organic compound consumers, Marinobacter and Roseibium, contained more genes encoding volatile organic compound oxidation proteins, and attached to the diatom, suggesting volatile organic compound specialism. With nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry and stable isotope labeling, we confirmed that Marinobacter incorporated carbon from benzene, one of the depleted m/z signals detected in the co-culture. Diatom gross carbon production increased by up to 29% in the presence of volatile organic compound consumers, indicating that volatile organic compound consumption by heterotrophic bacteria in the phycosphere—a region of rapid organic carbon oxidation that surrounds phytoplankton cells—could impact global rates of gross primary production.
Environmental Sciences & Ecology↗
Volatile organic compound detection device
A volatile organic compound collector can include a collector material configured to collect volatile organic compounds given off from a patient's skin; a wrapping configured to isolate the collector material from an external environment; a heater comprising a heating element, the heating element configured to emit a thermal pulse to desorb the volatile organic compounds from the collector material; and a mesh layer configured to prevent the collector material from contacting the patient's skin, wherein the collector material is received between the wrapping and the mesh layer.
Arnold, Gary Stephen↗
Methods of making organic compounds by metathesis
Described are methods of making organic compounds by metathesis chemistry. The methods of the invention are particularly useful for making industrially-important organic compounds beginning with starting compositions derived from renewable feedstocks, such as natural oils. The methods make use of a cross-metathesis step with an olefin compound to produce functionalized alkene intermediates having a pre-determined double bond position. Once isolated, the functionalized alkene intermediate can be self-metathesized or cross-metathesized (e.g., with a second functionalized alkene) to produce the desired organic compound or a precursor thereto. The method may be used to make bifunctional organic compounds, such as diacids, diesters, dicarboxylate salts, acid/esters, acid/amines, acid/alcohols, acid/aldehydes, acid/ketones, acid/halides, acid/nitriles, ester/amines, ester/alcohols, ester/aldehydes, ester/ketones, ester/halides, ester/nitriles, and the like.
Abraham, Timothy W.↗