| Curation Specimens |
| Initial Weight - 1,931 g |
| MPL Weight |
| | | Bulk Samples - 1,527 g |
| | | 12 Potted Butts - 17.5 g |
| | | 2 Library Thin Sections - JSC and Smithsonian |
| Display Sample at Smithsonian, 212 g |
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| Research Specimens |
| Research Specimens - 47 Investigators |
| | | 30 Thin Sections - 16 Investigators |
| | | 103 Chips - 39 Investigators |
| Large research allocations |
| | | 4 Investigators >10 g |
| | | 10 Investigators 5-10 g |
| Inventory Letter to Investigators |
| | | Most PI's replied that they would keep samples or had consumed them. |
| | | Some PI's are returning samples. |
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| Availability of Carbonates |
| Examined 2 big pieces and 15 chips/fines samples > 10 g |
| Detailed survey shows 1% scattered through rock |
| Occur in diffuse and globular habits, both have PAH's |
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| Curation |
| Past Processing (1985-1993) |
| | | Initial processing and large pieces in N2 cabinet |
| | | Small pieces processed on flow bench, sealed in air |
| | | All pieces stored in N2 cabinet |
| | | Band sawed in 1993 for consortium |
| Past Processing (1994-1996) |
| | | Sealed and stored in N2 cabinet |
| | | Special handling for organic analyses |
| | | Large and small pieces processed on flow bench |
| Current Processing of ALH84001 |
| | | Large pieces processed only in cabinet |
| | | Small pieces processed on flow bench, sealed in cabinet |
| | | Special handling for organic analyses |
| Current Achondrite Processing |
| | | Process large & small pieces on flow bench |
| | | Seal & store in N2 cabinet |
| | | Use only clean, approved materials (stainless steel, aluminum, teflon, poly vials, nylon bags) |
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| Possible Sources of Organic Contamination in MPL |
| Xylan lubricant - removed in 1990 |
| Sample containers - vials and nylon bags |
| Cleaning procedures - ultrapure water, alchohol wipes |
| Gloves - neoprene and ployethylene |
| Proximity to humans at flow bench |
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| Steps to Avoid Organic Contamination |
| Designate cabinet for martian meteorites only and do special cleaning |
| Test all sources of organic contamination (several are in-work) |
| Prepare samples for organic analyses without plastics |
