Primeval Earth, atmosphere, main components

Fig. 2.6 The main components of a typical weakly reducing primeval atmosphere as a function of the altitude above the Earth s surface. The mole fraction refers to the mixing ratio of the atmospheric mixture at an assumed surface pressure of one atmosphere. After Kasting (1993)... 

Fe-S complexes have important functions in today s living systems, in enzymes such as the ferredoxins and oxidoreductases, as well as in electron transport proteins. It is striking that these redox reactions mainly involve elements and compounds such as CO, H2 and N2, which were probably also components of the primeval Earth s atmosphere. Thus, the assumption of an active involvement of Fe-S clusters in a (hypothetical) Fe-S world in processes which finally led to biogenesis appears completely reasonable We now have a background to the theory of the chemoau-totrophic origin of life . 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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