Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light

Abstract Perchlorates have been identified on the surface of Mars. This has prompted speculation of what their influence would be on habitability. We show that when irradiated with a simulated Martian UV flux, perchlorates become bacteriocidal. At concentrations associated with Martian surface regol...

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Autores principales:	Jennifer Wadsworth, Charles S. Cockell
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2017
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/b4731cc49b8d47d38acb39dcd5738d44
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:b4731cc49b8d47d38acb39dcd5738d442021-12-02T16:06:20ZPerchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light10.1038/s41598-017-04910-32045-2322https://doaj.org/article/b4731cc49b8d47d38acb39dcd5738d442017-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-04910-3https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Perchlorates have been identified on the surface of Mars. This has prompted speculation of what their influence would be on habitability. We show that when irradiated with a simulated Martian UV flux, perchlorates become bacteriocidal. At concentrations associated with Martian surface regolith, vegetative cells of Bacillus subtilis in Martian analogue environments lost viability within minutes. Two other components of the Martian surface, iron oxides and hydrogen peroxide, act in synergy with irradiated perchlorates to cause a 10.8-fold increase in cell death when compared to cells exposed to UV radiation after 60 seconds of exposure. These data show that the combined effects of at least three components of the Martian surface, activated by surface photochemistry, render the present-day surface more uninhabitable than previously thought, and demonstrate the low probability of survival of biological contaminants released from robotic and human exploration missions.Jennifer WadsworthCharles S. CockellNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2017)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Jennifer Wadsworth Charles S. Cockell Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
description	Abstract Perchlorates have been identified on the surface of Mars. This has prompted speculation of what their influence would be on habitability. We show that when irradiated with a simulated Martian UV flux, perchlorates become bacteriocidal. At concentrations associated with Martian surface regolith, vegetative cells of Bacillus subtilis in Martian analogue environments lost viability within minutes. Two other components of the Martian surface, iron oxides and hydrogen peroxide, act in synergy with irradiated perchlorates to cause a 10.8-fold increase in cell death when compared to cells exposed to UV radiation after 60 seconds of exposure. These data show that the combined effects of at least three components of the Martian surface, activated by surface photochemistry, render the present-day surface more uninhabitable than previously thought, and demonstrate the low probability of survival of biological contaminants released from robotic and human exploration missions.
format	article
author	Jennifer Wadsworth Charles S. Cockell
author_facet	Jennifer Wadsworth Charles S. Cockell
author_sort	Jennifer Wadsworth
title	Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
title_short	Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
title_full	Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
title_fullStr	Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
title_full_unstemmed	Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light
title_sort	perchlorates on mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of uv light
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2017
url	https://doaj.org/article/b4731cc49b8d47d38acb39dcd5738d44
work_keys_str_mv	AT jenniferwadsworth perchloratesonmarsenhancethebacteriocidaleffectsofuvlight AT charlesscockell perchloratesonmarsenhancethebacteriocidaleffectsofuvlight
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Perchlorates on Mars enhance the bacteriocidal effects of UV light

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