The presence of high concentrations of phosphorus in Enceladus could point towards the moon's potential to harbour life, according to the scientists.
The discovery was based on data collected by Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, the first to orbit Saturn, during its 13-year landmark exploration of Saturn and its many moons from 2004 to 2017.
The same team that worked on Cassini has previously confirmed that Enceladus' ice grains contain a rich assortment of minerals. However, phosphorus, the least abundant of six chemical elements considered necessary to all living things (carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur) had never been detected on the moon - until now.
"It's the first time this essential element has been discovered in an ocean beyond Earth," the study's lead author, Frank Postberg said.
Using geochemical modelling, the researchers in Europe and Japan were able to demonstrate that phosphorus exists in Enceladus in...