Sociotard Posted April 13, 2011 Report Share Posted April 13, 2011 So I was reading through the Wikipedia article on hypothetical biochemistry, and the bit on solvents in particular. Is there any reason a supercritical liquid couldn't be used as a solvent? After all, we're pretty sure there are oceans of hot supercritical fluid on some of our gas giants. Also oceans of it on venus (CO2 and N2) Just curious. I couldn't find anything online about this specific subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancer Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 Re: Alternative biochemistry and Supercritical liquids I have no idea how solubility of substances, or even immiscibility of fluids, would work in a supercritical fluid. Both of those contribute to the workings of and requirements on the cell membrane (or whatever self/non-self barrier an organism is going to have). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted April 15, 2011 Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 Re: Alternative biochemistry and Supercritical liquids I have the impression if you dissolve anything into a supercritical fluid, its boiling point will rise, and thus become less supercritical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlandau Posted April 25, 2011 Report Share Posted April 25, 2011 Re: Alternative biochemistry and Supercritical liquids Not to get restrictively technical, but the special thing about water in our biochemistry is that it acts both as a solvent and as an electron donor in photosynthesis. Supercitical CO2 would not have a homologous function. Ammonia could, because you can strip an electron from an ammonium ion to produce N2 from NH4+. Water is also "redox neutral" in that it is both oxidized and "reduced" (having to H groups), although this perception of neutrality may subjective due to water's role in our biochemistry. Methane, for example, is much more reduced, although it can also serve as an electron donor in metabolism. Heck, its science fiction. Don't worry about the solvent. Figure out where the ecosystem's energy is coming from. That will control all of the biogeochemical cycles, and you can work from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Nexus Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Re: Alternative biochemistry and Supercritical liquids Isn't water neat? Yeah that's about all I can contribute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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