NONEQUILIBRIUM OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE BOUNDARY AS A SITE OF PROTOCELLS ORIGIN - SEPARATION OF IONS

We formulate and experimentally validate a hypothesis that asymmetric and non-equilibrium distribution of cations between primary cells and the media, which is characteristic to biological systems, arised durin g formation of sea aerosoles. The surface layer of the sea water is en riched by potassium ions due to non-equilibrium heat and mess fransfer at the ocean-atmosphere boundary. The <<primary soup>> is covered by a rarefied monolayer of amphyphylic molecules of abiogenic origin. Mic rodrops of aerosoles of severel micron size are formed in course destr uction of air bubbles and capture the water of the surface level, bein g covered by a monolayer of amphiphyles. Formation of protocells is co mpleted by formation of bilayer vesicules when microdrops with the inv erted ion content reach the water. Experiments were performed in sea a nd laboratory conditions using atomic-absorbtion spectroscopy, flame p hotometry and electron microscopy.