Crossref journal-article
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Science (221)
Abstract

If ion exchange on clay minerals regulated the cations in the primitive ocean as it does in the present ocean, the p H would have been 8 and the K + concentration 0.01 M . Since NH 4 + and K + are similar in their clay-mineral equilibria, the maximum NH 4 + concentration in the primitive ocean would also have been 0.01 M . An estimate of the minimum NH 4 + concentration is 1 × 10 -3 M , based on the reversible deamination of aspartic acid and the assumption that aspartic acid is necessary for the origin of life. The rate of this nonenzymic deamination is rapid on the geological time scale.

Bibliography

Bada, J. L., & Miller, S. L. (1968). Ammonium Ion Concentration in the Primitive Ocean. Science, 159(3813), 423–425.

Authors 2
  1. Jeffrey L. Bada (first)
  2. Stanley L. Miller (additional)
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Dates
Type When
Created 18 years, 10 months ago (Oct. 5, 2006, 7:50 a.m.)
Deposited 1 year, 7 months ago (Jan. 11, 2024, 3:44 a.m.)
Indexed 2 weeks, 4 days ago (Aug. 12, 2025, 6:11 p.m.)
Issued 57 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 26, 1968)
Published 57 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 26, 1968)
Published Print 57 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 26, 1968)
Funders 0

None

@article{Bada_1968, title={Ammonium Ion Concentration in the Primitive Ocean}, volume={159}, ISSN={1095-9203}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.159.3813.423}, DOI={10.1126/science.159.3813.423}, number={3813}, journal={Science}, publisher={American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}, author={Bada, Jeffrey L. and Miller, Stanley L.}, year={1968}, month=jan, pages={423–425} }