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Serpentinization, Abiogenic Methane, and Extremophilic Archaea within the Seafloor

Explore the fascinating processes of serpentinization leading to mineral transformations and abiogenic methane production through interactions with Extremophilic Archaea within seafloor environments.

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Serpentinization, Abiogenic Methane, and Extremophilic Archaea within the Seafloor

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  1. Serpentinization, Abiogenic Methane, and Extremophilic Archaea within the Seafloor Michael J. Mottl Department of Oceanography

  2. BULK COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH wt.% Fe 36.0 O 28.7 Mg 14.8 Si13.6 Subtotal: 93.1% 85 ± 4 % is in the core. (Upper) Mantle: (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 = olivine (Mg,Fe)SiO3 = pyroxene Ordinary chondritic meteorite: 46% olivine 24% pyroxene (mantle) 11% plagioclase feldspar (Ca, Al) 8% metal 7% FeS (core) Ni 2.0 Ca 1.7 S 1.7 Al 1.3 TOTAL: 98-99% What happens when we add H2O?

  3. Serpentinization: 0-500°C REACTANTSMg:Si ratio (Mg end-members) Forsterite: Mg2SiO4 2 : 1 (olivine) = Harzburgite Enstatite: MgSiO3 1 : 1 (depleted) (orthopyroxene) Diopside: CaMgSi2O6   (clinopyroxene) PRODUCTS SerpentineMg3Si2O5(OH)41.5 : 1 BruciteMg(OH)2 TalcMg3Si4O10(OH)20.75 : 1 Chlorite (Mg, Al, Fe)3(Si, Al)2O5(OH)4 (analog to serpentine) Smectite [(Ca,Na)(Al,Mg,Fe)]3(Al,Si)4O10(OH)2 (analog to talc)

  4. Serpentinization (hydration) Reactions Olivine to Serpentine ( + Brucite): 2Mg2SiO4 + 3H2O = Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 + Mg(OH)2 Enstatite to Serpentine ( + Talc): 6MgSiO3 + 3H2O = Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 + Mg3Si4O10(OH)2 Olivine + Enstatite to Serpentine: Mg2SiO4 + MgSiO3 + 2H2O = Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 Addition of ~10 mol% Fe produces Magnetite and H2: Fayalite (Fe end-member olivine):(Fe3O4 = Magnetite = FeO . Fe2O3) 3Fe2SiO4 + 2H2O = 2Fe3O4 + 3SiO2(aq) + 2H2 Hydrocarbon production:4H2 + CO2 = CH4 + 2H2O (Fischer-Tropsch rxn) (at high pH: 4H2 + CO32- = CH4 + H2O + 2OH-)

  5. Origin of CH4 on Earth via: Biogenic processes: --thermal breakdown of complex C compounds in buried organic matter (“thermogenesis”) 2 “CH2O” => CH4 + CO2 --microbial production (“methanogenesis”) CO2 + 4H2 = CH4 + 2H2O CH3COOH => CH4 + CO2 Abiogenic processes: --outgassing of juvenile CH4 from the mantle --inorganic synthesis at high T (Fischer-Tropsch rxn)

  6. Fischer-Tropsch process: Fischer F. (1935) Die synthese der Treibstoffe (Kogaisin) und Schmierole aus Kohlenoxyd und Wasserstoff bei Gewohnlichem Druck. Brennstoff-Chemie16:1-11. --developed by the Germans in ~1940 to produce hydrocarbon fuels from inorganic precursors. --CO2 and CO reduced to CH4 by reaction with H2 at 200-250°C and high pressure in the gaseous phase --Became one of three leading hypotheses for the origin of organic matter in meteorites. The other two are: --origin during accretion --Miller-Urey process (electric discharges and UV).

  7. Sherwood Lollar et al. (1993) Rocks from the Canadian and Fennoscandian shields “Serpentinization and the hydration of ultra- mafic rocks are the proposed mechanisms for CH4 and H2 production . . .” “Abiogenic processes of CH4 production may be considerably more widespread than previously anticipated.”

  8. Berndt et al. (1996) Geology24:351-354 First report of experimental Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of methane, ethane, and propane in aqueous solution (rather than in the gas phase). Shown to be bogus by McCollum and Seewald (2001): dissolved hydrocarbons were already present in olivine at the start of the experiments!

  9. Horita and Berndt (1999) Science285: 1055-1057 Bonified Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of CH4 (but no C-2 or C-3 HC’s) in aqueous solution, using a Ni-Fe catalyst. “Abiogenic methane may be more widespread than previously thought.”

  10. McCollum and Seewald (2001): CO2 + olivine at 300°C, 350 bars Showed that Berndt et al. (1996) had misinterpreted their results, and thatformate is formed rapidly rather than CH4 . “Abiotic formation of hydrocarbons during serpentinization may be much more limited than previously believed . . .”

  11. McCollum and Seewald (2003) “Although formate has been suggested to be a reaction intermediate in the formation of abiotic hydrocarbons from reduction of aqueous CO2, production of hydrocarbons was not observed in any of the experiments, except for trace amounts of methane, despite high concentrations of formate and strongly reducing conditions.”

  12. Foustoukos and Seyfried (2004), Science 304:1002-1005 Bonified Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of methane, ethane, and propane in aqueous solution, using an Fe-Cr catalyst (chromite). CONCLUSION: There is no doubt that the Fischer-Tropsch reactions takes place in aqueous solution at elevated T and in the presence of metallic catalysts, which are common in peridotite.

  13. Mariana subduction zone

  14. Mariana subduction system, Western Pacific Ocean: remnant arc, backarc basin, active arc, forearc, trench, Pacific Plate

  15. e.g., Mariana

  16. Outer half of Mariana forearc (Fryer et al., 1999, Geology27:103-106)

  17. Cold Springs with chimneys Largest are 50 km across and 2-3 km high.

  18. Chimneys of CaCO3 (calcite and aragonite) (Chimneys at sites closer to the trench are brucite!) Blocks of variably serpentinized harzburgite suspended in serpentinite mud Conical Seamount, 90 km behind the Mariana Trench axis at 19°32.5’N, drilled in 1989 on ODP Leg 125

  19. Shinkai-6500 Dive 351, Nov. 1996, summit of S. Chamorro Seamount

  20. Shinkai 351 Vent Field, summit of South Chamorro Seamount, 2003

  21. ODP Leg 195, Site 1200, summit of South Chamorro Seamount Distance from spring: 7 m20 m80 m vs. seawater: 1.3 x 0.94 x 1.9 x 8.0 x 7.8 x One-dimensional advection (upwelling)-diffusion

  22. Distance from spring: 7 m20 m80 m pH 12.5! Anaerobic Methane Oxidation: CH4 + SO42- + 2OH- = CO32- + S= + 3H2O

  23. Equilibrium of brucite with serpentine at low temperature keeps dissolved Mg and SiO2 low and pH high: ~10.7 (11.1 at 2°C), as observed in springs near the trench.

  24. The higher pH of 12.5 (13.1 at 2°C) for springs farther (>70 km) from the trench results from serpentinization and methane generation at high pH: 4H2 + CO32- = CH4 + H2O + 2OH- This reaction converts carbonate alkalinity to hydroxyl alkalinity, thus raising pH. It occurs where there is anexternal source of carbon.

  25. Mariana forearc: serpentinite mud volcanoes 1989: ODP drilling Leg 125, Site 780 1996: Shinkai-6500 dive 1997: 66 gravity cores from 13 sites on 10 mud volcanoes 2001: ODP drilling Leg 195, Site 1200 2003: 75 gravity cores from 13 sites on 12 mud volcanoes

  26. Na, Na/Cl, and K increase with distance from the trench.

  27. Mariana Forearc, 2003: 10 sites on 9 seamounts With distance from the trench of 50-95 km: --depth to the top of the subducting Pacific Plate = 15-29 km --P, T = 5-9 kbars and ~100-300°C (?) --alkalinity, sulfate, Na/Cl, K, Rb, Cs, B increase --Ca, Sr decrease Why? Carbon!

  28. Character of springs with distance from trench: Near (50-65 km)Far (70-90 km) No C source: C source: Low alkalinity High alkalinity High Ca, Sr Low Ca, Sr Brucite chimneys CaCO3 chimneys Low CH4 High CH4 pH 10.7 (11.1 at 2°C) pH 12.5 (13.1 at 2°C) CO32- + 4H2 = CH4 + H2O + 2OH- No S= High S= No microbial activity(?) Microbial activity No macrofauna Macrofauna CH4 + SO42- + 2OH- = CO32- + S= + 3H2O

  29. Summary: reactions relevant to extraterrestrial environments: • Serpentinization: peridotite + water produces OH- and H2: • 2Mg2SiO4 + 3H2O = Mg3Si2O5(OH)4 + Mg(OH)2 • 3Fe2SiO4 + 2H2O = 2Fe3O4 + 3SiO2(aq) + 2H2 • Addition of C (preferably as a flux) produces methane: • CO32- + 4H2 = CH4 + H2O + 2OH- • Anaerobic oxidation of methane by Archaea produces sulfide: • CH4 + SO42- + 2OH- = CO32- + S= + 3H2O

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