Thermal Alteration of Labile Elements in Carbonaceous Chondrites

•Heating experiments on carbonaceous chondrite meteorites show release of seven labile elements (S, As, Se, Cd, Sb, Te, Hg) from mineral host phases with temperature.•Percentages of elements loss with temperature relevant to element depletion on asteroids (3200) Phaethon and past orbital history of (101955) Bennu.•Future in situ resource utilization by heating carbonaceous material for water vapor will release significant qualities of sulfur and mercury, affecting water purification systems.