METHOD OF DETECTING PRESENCE OF MICROBIAL BIOMASS OF TERRESTRIAL TYPE ON SPACE BODIES Russian patent published in 2016 - IPC G01N33/50 

FIELD: chemistry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to method of detecting presence of microbial biomass of terrestrial type. Method involves obtaining test sample, on which is known, that it contains or can contain microorganisms, test sample is placed into container, components of the test sample with microorganisms are separated from test sample, mass-spectrometric analysis of test sample components with microorganisms is carried out. As test sample used obtained in research ground of space bodies, test sample is milled and placed in on-board device with sealed volume of 10 cm³, then one adds distilled purified water, test sample is mixed with water and upper layer with microparticles and microorganisms is separated by drain and stripped in water from test sample of soil, wherein upper layer with microorganisms is drained into cartridge in which it is passed through mixed layer of ion-exchange resins of anionite AV-17 and cationite KU-2. Then, purified water with microorganisms is fed onto metal substrate target for mass-spectrometric analysis, where water evaporation is formed on metal substrate layer of microorganisms and rest microparticles in water, and then produced target is introduced into mass spectrometer for laser exposure, wherein during mass-spectrometric analysis, conclusion on presence of microorganisms of terrestrial type is made by values of weight of peaks of chemical elements related to analysed biomarkers N, C and relation of biomarkers: P/S and Ca/K equal for ratio P/S from 0.15 up to 3, for ratio Ca/K from 0.3 to 5 and for N and C concentrations is more than 1 % and 10 %, respectively.

EFFECT: use of method allows determining microbial mass of terrestrial type, for example in space objects.

1 cl, 2 dwg