The combined application of organic sulphur and isotope geochemistry to assess multiple sources of palaeobiochemicals with identical carbon skeletons

Five immature sediments from a Messinian evaporitic basin, representing one evaporitic cycle, were studied using molecular organic sulphur and isotope geochemistry. It is shown that a specific carbon skeleton which is present in different "modes of occurrence" ("free" hydrocarbon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Organic geochemistry 1992-12, Vol.19 (4-6), p.403-419
Main Authors: Kohnen, M. E., Schouten, S., Sinninghe Damste, J. S., de Leeuw, J. W., Merrit, D., Hayes, J. M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon - analysis
Carbon - chemistry
Carbon Isotopes
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
Fossils
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Geological Phenomena
Geology
Geosciences (General)
Hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons - analysis
Hydrocarbons - chemistry
Isotope geochemistry
Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology
Lipids - chemistry
Paleontology
Sedimentary rocks
Space life sciences
Sulfur - analysis
Sulfur - chemistry
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Summary:Five immature sediments from a Messinian evaporitic basin, representing one evaporitic cycle, were studied using molecular organic sulphur and isotope geochemistry. It is shown that a specific carbon skeleton which is present in different "modes of occurrence" ("free" hydrocarbon, alkylthiophene, alkylthiolane, alkyldithiane, alkylthiane, and sulphur-bound in macromolecules) may have different biosynthetic precursors which are possibly derived from different biota. It is demonstrated that the mode of occurrence and the carbon isotopic composition of a sedimentary lipid can be used to "reconstruct" its biochemical precursor. This novel approach of recognition of the suite of palaeobiochemicals present during the time of deposition allows for identification of the biological sources with an unprecedented specificity.
ISSN:0146-6380
1873-5290
DOI:10.1016/0146-6380(92)90008-l