Optimization of the TMAH Thermochemolysis Technique for the Detection of Trace Organic Matter on Mars by the SAM and MOMA-Pyr-GC-MS Experiment

International audience; Boththe Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) and Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA)instrumentsare able to identify organic material at the Martian surface and subsurface. Both experiments are equipped with pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Pyr-GC-MS)and derivatization reagents (MTBSTFA)that will allowthe analyzerefractory com-pounds,making them more volatile and protecting the labile chemical groups. In order to improve the Pyr-GC-MS analysis, TMAH (tetramethylammonium hydrox-ide) will be used on MOMA and SAM to extract refrac-tory compounds (macromolecules, kerogen, etc.) and protect polar compounds released from the pyrolysis ex-periment.We performed pyrolysis and TMAH-thermochemolysis of a Martian regolith simulant (JSC-Mars-1) to optimizeanalytical parameters, especially the thermochemolysis temperature, to ensure the success of the near future in situthermochemolysis analyses on Mars.