RNA, an essential biomolecule for life, has been used in environmental applications including monitoring microbial communities, developing pesticides, and quantifying the abundance of pathogenic viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, in water and wastewater systems. Understanding how quickly RNA breaks down in given conditions is critical to harnessing the molecule in these and other emerging technologies.
According to a new study by researchers working with Kimberly Parker, assistant professor of energy, environmental & chemical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, RNA can undergo rapid hydrolysis when adsorbed into iron oxide minerals. This discovery unveils a previously unknown abiotic pathway for RNA degradation and sheds light on biogeochemical processes and environmental system dynamics. The results were published May 22