Rock pores as protocells: CO2 fixation on serpentinite

Abstract

This study investigates CO2 fixation within serpentine rock pores utilising a pressurised reactor with a mixture of CO2 and H2 at pressures ranging from 10 to 35 bars to emulate conditions potentially akin to serpentinising systems found in icy moons and hydrothermal vents. Our study documents the abiotic synthesis of acetate, formate, methanol, and potentially methane, thereby highlighting the catalytic potential of natural serpentine in the production of prebiotic organic molecules. Our findings suggest that such geological environments, encompassing both alkaline and acidic hydrothermal conditions, may serve as plausible settings for the emergence of metabolic processes. Further research into the role of nano-porosity and the discovery of novel self-sustaining autocatalytic networks is needed.