The biogeochemistry of sorbed methane in marine sediments

• Published in: Geochimica et cosmochimica acta 2010-11, Vol.74 (21), p.6033-6048
• Main Authors: Ertefai, Tobias F., Heuer, Verena B., Prieto-Mollar, Xavier, Vogt, Christoph, Sylva, Sean P., Seewald, Jeffrey, Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biogeochemistry; Carbon; Extraction; Geochemistry; Marine; Methane; Sediments; Sorption
• ISSN: 0016-7037; 1872-9533
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gca.2010.08.006

Sorption of volatile hydrocarbon gases (VHCs) to marine sediments is a recognized phenomenon that has been investigated in the context of petroleum exploration. However, little is known about the biogeochemistry of sorbed methane and higher VHCs in environments that are not influenced by thermogenic processes. This study evaluated two different extraction protocols for sorbed VHCs, used high pressure equipment to investigate the sorption of methane to pure clay mineral phases, and conducted a geochemical and mineralogical survey of sediment samples from different oceanographic settings and geochemical regimes that are not significantly influenced by thermogenic gas. Extraction of sediments under alkaline conditions yielded higher concentrations of sorbed methane than the established protocol for acidic extraction. Application of alkaline extraction in the environmental survey revealed the presence of substantial amounts of sorbed methane in 374 out of 411 samples (91%). Particularly high amounts, up to 2.1 mmol kg −1 dry sediment, were recovered from methanogenic sediments. Carbon isotopic compositions of sorbed methane suggested substantial contributions from biogenic sources, both in sulfate-depleted and sulfate-reducing sediments. Carbon isotopic relationships between sorbed and dissolved methane indicate a coupling of the two pools. While our sorption experiments and extraction conditions point to an important role for clay minerals as sorbents, mineralogical analyses of marine sediments suggest that variations in mineral composition are not controlling variations in quantities of sorbed methane. We conclude that the distribution of sorbed methane in sediments is strongly influenced by in situ production.