Clays as Natural Catalyst in Prebiotic Processes

Abstract

The role of clay minerals in prebiotic chemistry is discussed in some of the more relevant questions about its importance. So far, data published about laboratory experiments show that clays can act as adsorbers, concentrator and catalyst for polymerization. However, there are still inconclusiveness due to: the amount of adsorbed material, type of clay used, the pH of the bulk solution, etc. All these factors affect the exent in which these capacities occurred at conditions that can be relevant to geological scenarios. Finally, some light in the role of clays can be brought by further experiments dealing with erergy transfer process.