Evidence for photochemical production of reactive oxygen species in desert soils

Christos D. Georgiou (), Henry J. Sun, Christopher P. McKay, Konstantinos Grintzalis, Ioannis Papapostolou, Dimitrios Zisimopoulos, Konstantinos Panagiotidis, Gaosen Zhang, Eleni Koutsopoulou, George E. Christidis and Irene Margiolaki
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Christos D. Georgiou: University of Patras
Henry J. Sun: Desert Research Institute
Christopher P. McKay: NASA Ames Research Center
Konstantinos Grintzalis: University of Patras
Ioannis Papapostolou: University of Patras
Dimitrios Zisimopoulos: University of Patras
Konstantinos Panagiotidis: University of Patras
Gaosen Zhang: Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Eleni Koutsopoulou: Laboratory of Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Patras
George E. Christidis: Technical University of Crete
Irene Margiolaki: University of Patras

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract The combination of intense solar radiation and soil desiccation creates a short circuit in the biogeochemical carbon cycle, where soils release significant amounts of CO2 and reactive nitrogen oxides by abiotic oxidation. Here we show that desert soils accumulate metal superoxides and peroxides at higher levels than non-desert soils. We also show the photogeneration of equimolar superoxide and hydroxyl radical in desiccated and aqueous soils, respectively, by a photo-induced electron transfer mechanism supported by their mineralogical composition. Reactivity of desert soils is further supported by the generation of hydroxyl radical via aqueous extracts in the dark. Our findings extend to desert soils the photogeneration of reactive oxygen species by certain mineral oxides and also explain previous studies on desert soil organic oxidant chemistry and microbiology. Similar processes driven by ultraviolet radiation may be operating in the surface soils on Mars.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8100

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