RF-Powered Aqueous Universal Microfluidic Biomarker Extraction (uEX) for Identification of Chemical Signatures of Life in the Solar System

<B>Abstract:</B>

The lack of compact and universal sample processing technology that enables the cataloging of organic molecules in planetary crustal materials is a significant challenge for the exploration of Mars, Titan, Europa, comets, and other bodies in the Solar System, as well as for the chemical characterization of organics in samples that can be returned back to Earth (i.e., Mars Sample Return mission samples). Currently, we are working toward building a super-compact, lightweight and low power-consumption microfluidic extractor (uEX) instrument that will address this challenge. Few of the difficulties associated with the detection of chemical signatures of life on other planets are due to their chemical complexity and diversity. Therefore, a successful sample processing technology must be universal in its ability to extract a variety of different biomarkers. uEX will have the capability to extract organics with various chemical and physical properties by utilizing the aqueous extraction method developed in our laboratory at JPL. The core operational principle of uEX is based on a unique property of water -the ability to change its permittivity (i.e., dielectric constant) as a function of frequency to match the dielectric constants of organic solvents. Since "like dissolves like," uEX will extract biomarkers from soil samples by applying 180 GHz radiation to water, without the use of any other chemicals. Consequently, target biomarkers that are characterized by very different properties (e.g., size, charge, volatility, polarity, etc.), and which are typically only soluble in organic solvents, now will be easily extractable from the solid matrices and soluble in water, since the dielectric constant of water has been lowered through interaction with an electro-magnetic field. Our uEX technology targets high priority science objectives for Inner and Outer Planets and small bodies explorations, including the understanding of chemical processes related to the presence of life, its origin and evolution in the Solar System.

Date/Time: 
11/29/2009 - 16:00