In this paper, we report on new C-14 and C-13 isotopic analyses of organic
and carbonate phases in pristine samples of the martian meteorite, Nakhla (
fell 1911AD). We undertook water and acid extractions of soluble phases as
well as a study of insoluble material. We used 14C to differentiate between
extraterrestrial organic material and recent terrestrial contamination. Re
sults indicate that most of the organic matter in Nakhla is released by 6N
HCl and there appear to be two isotopically distinct sources of extraterres
trial organics with delta C-13 Of -33 parts per thousand and -15 parts per
thousand and low C-14. We estimate that at least 75% of the organic materia
l released by 6N HCl acid etching is extraterrestrial. We conclude that thi
s acid-labile component is likely similar to polymeric organics observed in
CM2 chondrites (Gilmour and Pillinger, 1994) and could have accumulated on
the Martian surface from the accumulation of meteoritic material and comet
ary debris and cosmic dust. We also determined that the terrestrial organic
contamination is characterized by approximately modem C-14 values and delt
a C-13 of -25 parts per thousand. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.