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Lipid Decontamination Procedures for Life Detection MissionsMolecular biosignatures are key targets for current, proposed, and future life detection missions. With the high accuracy and low limit of detection (LOD) that new and future instruments will require, decontamination of life detection hardware is necessary to prevent false positives. Lipids are a molecular biosignature of interest, as they are ubiquitous to all life as we know it, can survive unaltered in the geologic record for longer than any other biomolecule (i.e. billions of years), and form through both biotic and abiotic processes. Lipids display origin-diagnostic molecular patterns that can reveal biotic or abiotic synthesis, so finding them and ascertaining their molecular features is important for potentially detecting evidence of life elsewhere. Traditional methods of decontamination, or contamination control (CC), primarily clean hardware through fabrication in sterile (cleanroom) environments, killing microbes, and removing/flushing contaminants off instrument and spacecraft components. However, research suggests that some standard cleaning methods are either unlikely to remove lipid contaminants or are incompatible with life detection instrument materials. To solve this problem, I propose to find, test, and verify a decontamination method that thoroughly cleans instruments by destroying lipid molecules, but is simultaneously compatible with major materials used in these instruments. I will study the effects of traditional CC methods (including Dry Heat Microbial Reduction and Vapor phase Hydrogen Peroxide) and experimental CC methods (Electron Beam Irradiation) on lipid molecules for application to life detection instrumentation. I will then develop a CC plan for a novel lipid detector (ExCALiBR, Extractor for Chemical Analysis of Lipid Biomarkers in Regolith) searching for lipids in either soil or icy world scenarios. This plan will uphold planetary protection regulation requirements and validate experimental analyses of in-situ life detection tests.
Document ID
20190032224
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Buckner, Denise (Blue Marble Space Seattle, WA, United States)
Wilhelm, Mary Beth (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
October 23, 2019
Publication Date
August 15, 2019
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN72311
Meeting Information
Meeting: Young Scientist Program Night of Science
Location: Moffett Field, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: August 15, 2019
Sponsors: Blue Marble Space
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18M0064
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
Single Expert
Keywords
Decontamination
Astrobiology

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