Possible Approaches for the Origin of Life in Hot Mineral Water in Primary Hydrosphere

Ignat Ivanov Ignatov, Teodora Petrova Popova

Abstract


Background: Protostructure emerges under corona discharge as ions and water molecules self-organize into stable formation. With 45.6 % density relative to living cells, this structure represents a primitive stage of biochemical evolution. Their formation follows Prigogine’s principle of entropy reduction, illustrating the potential role of early Earth’s reducing atmosphere and mineral surfaces in catalyzing the origin of complex biochemical systems.

Methods: Using hot mineral water from Rupite, Bulgaria, we conducted experiments involving corona electric discharge (1–30 kHz, 12 kV) to simulate prebiotic conditions. Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to analyze the water's inorganic and organic composition. Additionally, we assessed the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and measured changes in physicochemical parameters under controlled conditions.

Results: The protostructure was created in laboratory conditions in hot mineral water under corona electric discharge. Self-organization estimation using Prigogine’s principle marks an early stage of biochemical evolution, emphasizing the role of the primordial atmosphere and hydrosphere in life's origin. The structure density was 45.6% of that of living cells. We quantitatively estimated the results of Miller’s and Wilson’s experiments. The biochemical reactions were described with the compounds as methane, ammonia, etc.

Conclusion: The findings support the hypothesis that hot mineral water in the primary hydrosphere, enriched with ions, exposed to electric discharge in the primary atmosphere, and with contact medium with the hydrosphere, providing optimal conditions for synthesizing organic compounds and forming protostructures. These results reinforce the concept of geothermal systems of life and highlight the significance of mineral water’s physicochemical properties in fostering prebiotic chemistry.

Keywords: Origin of life; Hot mineral water; Electric discharge; Protostructure


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References


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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.62940/als.v12i2.3636

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