Quantitative GC-MS-MS Profiling of 56 Prebiotic Molecules in Titan and Martian Analog Materials

To the point

A gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to reliably detect and quantify 56 potential prebiotic molecules in complex planetary analog materials, and when applied to a Titan aerosol analog and a Martian gypsum analog it revealed a first-time detection of phenylalanine in the Titan sample, extensive fatty acids and elevated nucleobases there, and distinct amino acid and fatty acid patterns between the two analogs, illustrating how prebiotic chemistry could differ on different planetary surfaces and underscoring GC-MS-MS as a valuable tool for biosignature identification in planetary exploration.