Prebiotic amino acid-clay interactions: adsorption of GABA and proteinogenic amino acids on Ca-Montmorillonite clay

Interactions of amino acids and minerals are of importance in prebiotic chemistry studies, particularly but not exclusively, in the context of warm little ponds on rocky planets. Adsorption processes of amino acids on clay surfaces could possibly change the chemical environment over time and/or introduce selectivity, on top of having possible consequences on later surface-catalysed polymerisation of these organic building blocks[1].

GABA is a biological, non-proteinogenic amino acid, found in CM meteorites in comparable amounts to glycine[2]. Montmorillonite is a common layered clay mineral, presumed to have existed on Early Earth and found on Mars[3]. It has a relatively high surface area, it readily adsorbs organics on its outer and interlayer surfaces and reversibly swells upon hydration. In a warm rockpool scenario, where hypothetically, a meteorite landed and released some of its’ organic content, GABA might have been present alongside other organics, together with Montmorillonite clay.

In this poster, results of an experimental adsorption study investigating interactions of GABA and some proteinogenic amino acids, such as L-lysine, with Calcium-Montmorillonite clay (STx-1b), will be presented and discussed.


[1] J. F. Lambert, Biospheres, 38, 211-242 (2008)
[2] D. A. M. Zaia and C. T. B. V. Zaia, Symmetry, 12, 2046 (2020)
[3] F. Poulet, J. P. Bibring, J. F. Mustard, A. Gendrin, N. Mangold, Y. Langevin, R. E. Arvidson, B. Gondet, C. Gomez and the Omega Team, Nature, 438, 623-627 (2005)