河北武安西石门铁矿床Fe同位素特征及其成矿指示意义

发育于太行山造山带南段的西石门铁矿矿体和岩体、碳酸盐岩地层之间有非常明显的接触界线,且具有明显的侵入关系.矿石矿物主要以自形磁铁矿为主,矿石发育气孔构造,显示了充填-贯入的特征.全岩地球化学分析结果表明,闪长岩与钠长岩的FeO、MgO与TiO₂呈明显的线性正相关,Na₂O与SiO₂呈微弱线性正相关,而Na₂O与CaO呈线性负相关.闪长岩Fe同位素组成的变化范围为δ⁵⁶Fe=-0.048‰~0.223‰,平均值为δ⁵⁶Fe=0.070‰±0.197(2SD,n=6);钠长岩Fe同位素组成的变化范围为δ⁵⁶Fe=0.033‰~0.101‰,平均值为δ⁵⁶Fe=0.063‰±0.070(2SD,n=4);磁铁矿矿石Fe同位素组成的变化范围为δ⁵⁶Fe=0.008‰~0.115‰,平均值为δ⁵⁶Fe=0.065‰±0.089(2SD,n=12);两个矽卡岩Fe同位素分别为-0.085‰和0.025‰;大理岩样品的δ⁵⁶Fe为-0.320‰.磁铁矿矿石Fe同位素组成和平均火成岩接近,且较为均一,铁的来源很可能来自于高温"矿浆".本文提出西石门铁矿床为岩浆通道-"矿浆"贯入式成矿.矿体下部相比上部更偏富集Fe的重同位素,判断"矿浆"运移方向是从下部往上部运移.     

青海玉树东莫扎抓铅锌矿床S、Pb、Sr-Nd同位素组成:对成矿物质来源的指示

青海玉树地区东莫扎抓铅锌矿床位于青藏高原金沙江缝合带和班公湖-怒江缝合带夹持的羌塘地体东北缘,是"三江"北段铜铅锌多金属成矿带铅锌矿床的典型代表。在野外地质观察基础上,本文对矿石矿物和重晶石进行了S同位素组成分析,对矿石矿物、脉石矿物和区域地层进行了Pb同位素组成分析,对脉石矿物进行了Sr-Nd同位素组成分析。结果表明,硫化物δ³⁴S值为-29‰~6‰,峰值为-8‰~-6‰,反映了总体富轻硫的特征,而重晶石δ³⁴S值为18.3‰~+22.8‰,来自于第三纪陆相盆地。宽的δ³⁴S变化可以解释为流体在盆地内活动期间与不同地层单元发生相互作用,从而继承了不同物质单元的S同位素特点,还原硫应主要来自于硫酸盐的细菌还原或者含硫有机质的热还原,反映硫来自沉积盆地。矿石矿物的²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb、²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb和²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb分别为18.387~18.703、15.391~15.768、38.372~38.809,而脉石矿物的²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb、²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb和²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb分别为18.423~18.612、15.491~15.701、38.497~38.612。矿石矿物和脉石矿物的Pb同位素组成介于区域上地壳Pb组成范围内,总体类似于MVT矿床,显示Pb等金属元素来源于上地壳岩石。脉石矿物的(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_ⅰ、ε_Sr(t)、(¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd)_ⅰ和ε_Nd(t)分别为0.70855~0.70928、58.0~68.4、0.512273~0.512353、-6.2~-4.7。Sr-Nd同位素特征亦显示脉石矿物的物质来源于上地壳岩石。     

造山型金矿成矿流体来源与演化的氢-氧同位素示踪：夹皮沟金矿带例析

在详细的矿床地质研究和成矿阶段划分基础上,系统采集了距夹皮沟断裂带100~3622m的6个金矿床不同成矿阶段的20件矿石样品,进行了氢、氧同位素测试。距夹皮沟断裂带由近及远,各金矿床的氢、氧同位素组成分别为:北沟(100~172m,δD=-97‰~-90‰,δ18O_w=-3.26‰~5.49‰)、二道沟(820~830m,δD=-95‰~-94‰,δ18O_w=-4.58‰~-0.50‰)、三道岔(1385~1412m,δD=-97‰~-91‰,δ18O_w=-3.58‰~-1.39‰)、四道岔(2776~2802m,δD=-99‰~-80‰,δ18O_w=0.75‰~4.69‰)、八家子(3400m,δD=-102‰,δ18O_w=0.22‰)、夹皮沟本区(3595~3622m,δD=-108‰~-92‰,δ18O_w=2.91‰~5.39‰)。成矿早、主、晚阶段δD、δ18O_w和W/R值分别为-97‰~-80‰、3.99‰~5.49‰和约0.1;-108‰~-90‰、-3.26‰~4.71‰和0.1~0.5;-97‰~-91‰、-4.58‰~-2.68‰和0.01~0.1。反映金矿早阶段成矿流体以变质水为主体,混入有少量岩浆水,W/R值较小;主阶段成矿流体为变质水和大气降水的混合,W/R值显著增大,氢、氧同位素和W/R值具有明显的空间不均一特征(成矿流体隧道式流动):前者与距夹皮沟断裂带的距离正相关、后两者负相关,而它们与各金矿床已探明资源量的相关性相反,可能表征了成矿系统有效流体压力对W/R值和金沉淀成矿的控制作用;晚阶段大气降水大量加入,成矿流体弥散式的流动机制引起大面积同位素均一化,W/R值最小。据此推断,氧同位素低值区与氢同位素和W/R高值区(尤其是它们的显著变化区)的套合部位是金大规模沉淀聚集的最有利地段暨找矿勘查的重要选区。     

青海玉树莫海拉亨铅锌矿床S、Pb、Sr-Nd同位素组成: 对成矿物质来源的指示——兼与东莫扎抓铅锌矿床的对比

青海玉树地区莫海拉亨铅锌矿床和东莫扎抓铅锌矿床均位于青藏高原金沙江缝合带和班公湖-怒江缝合带夹持的羌塘地体东北缘,是"三江"北段铜铅锌多金属成矿带铅锌矿床的2个典型代表。笔者曾通过对东莫扎抓铅锌矿床的S-Pb-Sr-Nd同位素组成特征研究,认为其成矿物质来源于沉积地层。本文在野外地质观察基础上,亦对莫海拉亨铅锌矿床的矿石矿物和重晶石进行了S同位素组成分析,对矿石矿物、脉石矿物和区域地层进行了Pb同位素组成分析,对脉石矿物进行了Sr-Nd同位素组成分析。分析结果表明,硫化物δ³⁴S值为-30.0‰~7.4‰,峰值为-18‰~-2‰,反映了总体富轻硫的特征,而重晶石δ³⁴S值为20.2‰~+24.2‰,来自于第三纪陆相盆地。宽的δ³⁴S变化可以解释为流体在盆地内活动期间与不同地层单元发生相互作用,从而继承了不同物质单元的S同位素特点,还原硫应主要来自于硫酸盐的细菌还原或者含硫有机质的热还原,反映硫来自沉积盆地。矿石矿物的²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb、²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb和²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb分别为18.298~18.694、15.298~15.721、38.169~38.894,而脉石矿物的²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb、²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb和²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb分别为18.418~18.672、15.418~15.719、38.403~38.845。矿石矿物和脉石矿物的Pb同位素组成介于区域上地壳Pb组成范围内,总体类似于MVT矿床,显示Pb等金属元素来源于上地壳岩石。脉石矿物的(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i、ε_Sr(t)、(¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd)_i和ε_Nd(t)分别为0.70851~0.70906、57.4~65.2、0.512265~0.512361、-6.5~-4.6。Sr-Nd同位素特征亦显示脉石矿物的物质来源于上地壳岩石。总体来说,莫海拉亨铅锌矿床的S-Pb-Sr-Nd同位素特征均与东莫扎抓铅锌矿床的一样,显示均来自沉积地层。并结合矿床地质特征和地球化学特征,讨论了莫海拉亨铅锌矿床和东莫扎抓铅锌矿床形成的动力学背景。     

云南个旧卡房矿田锡-铜矿床成矿作用过程探讨:成矿流体约束

云南个旧是世界上最大的锡多金属矿区,卡房矿田是其中一个主要的铜矿区。卡房铜矿主要的矿床类型有:变玄武岩型层状铜矿和接触带型铜矿,本文主要对前者进行了流体包裹体测试及同位素地球化学分析,并对比研究了接触带型铜矿的同位素地球化学特征。流体包裹体研究显示,卡房矿田变玄武岩型层状铜矿的成矿流体,属于岩浆流体体系演化的一部分,成矿作用分为三个阶段:石英-磁黄铁矿-黄铜矿阶段(Ⅰ)、石英-方解石-黄铜矿-黄铁矿阶段(Ⅱa)和石英-方解石阶段(Ⅱb)。从Ⅰ-Ⅱa-Ⅱb成矿流体的温度(平均从363.9℃至283.2℃至185.0℃)显著降低,流体盐度(平均从20.18% NaCleqv至12.59% NaCleqv至11.97% NaCleqv)缓慢降低,流体密度(平均从0.854g/cm³至0.863g/cm³至1.001g/cm³)基本不变。显微激光拉曼光谱分析显示流体包裹体的挥发份主要为H₂O及少量CH₄,液相中主要成分为H₂O及少量CO^2-₃。氢、氧同位素研究(δD_H2O值介于-98‰~-79‰;δ¹⁸O_H2O值介于-0.82‰~7.09‰)显示,成矿流体主要以岩浆水为主,在成矿流体上升过程中与地层中的大气降水相混合。硫同位素分析结果表明,卡房矿田变玄武岩型铜矿中硫化物的硫(δ³⁴S值介于-0.86‰~3.8‰)来源于三叠纪变玄武岩,而花岗岩浆和变玄武岩共同为卡房接触带型铜矿(δ³⁴S值介于-3.2‰~6.2‰)提供了成矿所需的大部分硫。     

云南哀牢山老王寨大型造山型金矿成矿流体地球化学

云南哀牢山金矿带是我国最重要的喜马拉雅期金矿带,而老王寨是其中最大的金矿。流体包裹体研究显示:老王寨金矿含金石英脉中流体包裹体类型主要为NaCl-H₂O型和CO₂-H₂O型,其均一温度为102~302℃, 峰值为160~180℃;流体盐度范围变化较大,介于2.5%~12.9% NaCleqv之间,峰值为6.0%~7.5% NaCleqv,显示老王寨成矿流体具有中低盐度和中低温度的特征。 氢氧同位素测定显示成矿流体δD_H2O=-115‰~-90‰,δ¹⁸O_H2O=5.2‰~6.8‰,显示其组成主要为岩浆水,可能与有机沉积物发生过同位素交换。流体包裹体碳同位素组成(δ¹³C为-6.5‰~-3.9‰)基本落在幔源碳变化范围之内,说明其中CO₂可能来自地壳深部,甚至上地幔。综合成矿地质特征和成矿流体的证据,提出老王寨金矿为喜马拉雅期造山型金矿。     

河北省青龙满族自治县四拨子-六拨子钼铜矿床成矿流体及成矿机制探讨

河北省青龙满族自治县四拨子-六拨子钼铜矿位于燕辽成矿带东部,是近年来发现的中型钼铜矿床。辉钼矿呈细脉状、网脉状、浸染状、薄膜状赋存于长城系石英砂岩及白云岩中的矽卡岩带,钼矿化与硅化关系密切。矿体呈似层状、脉状和透镜状。矿床的形成经历了矽卡岩期和石英-硫化物期,铜和钼矿化主要形成于石英-硫化物期。研究表明,矽卡岩期矿物以发育液体包裹体为特征,石英-硫化物期石英中主要发育液体包裹体、含CO₂两相和三相包裹体。矽卡岩期成矿流体为高-中温(192~497℃)、中-低盐度(5.41%~16.53% NaCleqv)、中-低密度(0.59~0.92g/cm³)的NaCl-H₂O体系。石英-硫化物期成矿流体为中-低温(主要变化于160~330℃)、低盐度(2.07%~15.17% NaCleqv)和中低密度(0.69~1.01g/cm³)的NaCl-H₂O-CO₂ (±CH₄/N₂)型流体。石英的δD_SMOW为-128‰~-80‰,δ¹⁸O_SMOW值为9.6‰~14‰,δ¹⁸O_H2O值为-3.61%~5.30‰,表明成矿流体具有岩浆水混合大气降水的特征。硫化物的δ³⁴S变化于-0.9‰~5.7‰,平均值为2.9‰,表明成矿物质中硫来自深部岩浆。成矿时代为早侏罗世早期,成矿作用与花岗斑岩岩浆期后热液活动有关。     

西秦岭新生代高钾质玄武岩流体组成及其地幔动力学意义

西秦岭新生代高钾质玄武岩是认识大陆碰撞俯冲体制下地幔流体组成及深部动力学的岩石探针。本文采用分步加热质谱法测定了西秦岭高钾质玄武岩中斑晶及基质的流体化学组成和碳同位素组成,结果表明流体组分在200~400℃、400~800℃和800~1200℃阶段性释出,以H₂O为主,其次为CO₂和SO₂,并含有相对较高的He含量。从橄榄石斑晶到斜长石斑晶和基质H₂O和CO₂逐步升高。橄榄石斑晶流体挥发份主要释气峰温度(900~1200℃)明显高于中国东部地幔捕虏体及其它地区超镁铁质岩体中的橄榄石,流体组份以SO₂和CO₂等氧化性组份为主,其CO₂的δ¹³C值(-26.21‰~-20.85‰,平均-23.32‰)和CH₄的δ¹³C值(-42.35‰~-38.17‰,平均-40.03‰)低于基质的δ¹³C_CO2值(-16.43‰~-11.67‰,平均-13.22‰)和δ¹³C_CH4值(-44.22‰~-34.03‰,平均-39.70‰)。基质中CO₂和CH₄碳同位素组成具有机质热裂解特征。原始岩浆的流体挥发份主要为SO₂、N₂和CO₂,可能起源于较深的混杂地幔源区、演化于高f_O2的环境。流体挥发份化学和同位素组成表明高钾质玄武岩浆挥发份中存在地幔和地壳来源组分,幔源岩浆上升演化过程中可能加入了大量的H₂O和CO₂等,可能存在碳酸岩岩浆的混合或岩浆穿透区域碳酸盐地层的混染;其中的再循环壳源组分可能为古特提斯洋闭合俯冲或其后华北克拉通与扬子克拉通碰撞相关的再循环壳源沉积物脱出的流体组分。     

新疆阿尔泰两棵树铁矿流体包裹体及氢氧同位素特征

新疆两棵树铁矿位于阿尔泰南缘克朗盆地,矿床赋存于中-上泥盆统阿勒泰镇组片岩与二长花岗岩接触带的伟晶岩中。本文对矿石中石英流体包裹体进行显微测温分析,结果显示包裹体类型以液体包裹体为主,流体的均一温度变化于156~367℃,主要集中于210~250℃,成矿流体盐度w(NaCl_eq)为0.18%~18.72,密度为0.80~0.95 g/cm³,表明成矿流体属中温度、低盐度、中低密度的H₂O-NaCl体系。石英的δD_SMOW为-110‰~-76‰,δ¹⁸O_SMOW为5.3‰~7.9‰,δ¹⁸O_H2O为1.03‰~1.07‰,表明成矿流体来源于岩浆水,混合大气降水; 成矿时代为中泥盆世(约377 Ma),成矿作用与二长花岗岩的侵入有关; 温度和压力的降低、流体混合、水岩反应等在铁成矿过程中起着主导作用。     

广东凡口铅锌矿床赋矿地层稳定同位素研究

广东凡口铅锌矿床是中国著名的大型铅锌矿床。在凡口矿区新发现有类似奥陶系岩性的地层,与寒武系一起构成矿区的浅变质基底,其δ¹³C_V-PDB值为-6.5‰、δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW值为14.9‰,在矿区各地层中最小,受热液作用影响最弱,主要受岩性影响。由深至浅,泥盆系地层的δ¹³C_V-PDB、δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW值逐渐增高、⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr值逐渐减小,该段岩层的主赋矿层位（D₂d和D₃t）δ¹³C_V-PDB接近零,δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW在18‰左右,稳定同位素的变化除受岩性影响外,主要受后期热液蚀变作用的影响,为成矿提供了一定的前提条件。石炭系（C₂ht）白云岩的δ¹³C平均值为2.17‰,δ¹⁸O平均值为21.9‰,与其他层位性质明显不同,为矿区的盖层。     

Microbial lipids from a nearshore sediment from Bowling Green Bay,North Queensland: The fatty acid composition of intact lipid fractions

Samples from a sediment core collected in Bowling Green Bay, North Queensland have been analysed for hexane/isopropanol extractable lipids and fatty acids. These data revealed a subsurface lipid abundance maximum at 3–4 cm depth and consistent low total fatty acid abundances (ca 2 μg/g) in the deeper samples ( > 10 cm depth). Lipid phosphate was below the level of detection in all the samples. Bacterial community structure was found to vary markedly in the upper 10 cm of the core, with the 18:1Δ11 bacterial chemotype predominant in the surface sediment and trans-acid chemotypes dominating in the 3–4 cm depth sediment. Based on the fatty acid composition, the bacterial biomass was estimated to vary from 199 μg/g at 3–4 cm depth toca 8 μg/g at 11–13 cm depth, although the fatty acid distributions indicated possible interference from protozoan detritus. In order to test this possibility, a surface sediment sample from a nearby site was extracted and analysed for fatty acids in lipid fractions separated by silica column chromatography. The fatty acid distributions in lipid fractions containing wax/steryl esters, triacylglycerols, glycolipids and phospholipids were markedly different. These analyses were interpreted in terms of fatty acid contributions to the extractable lipids from bacteria, cyanobacteria, protozoan detritus and highly degraded organic matter.     

Gypsum-organic interactions in the marine environment: sorption of fatty acids and hydrocarbons

Free fatty acids make up the bulk (50–84% wt/wt) of lipid materials recovered from artificial gypsum precipitates and crystals collected from sea salt evaporation pans. Both the fatty acids and hydrocarbons associated with artificial gypsum tend to be of longer mean chain length than organic materials dissolved in the mother liquor. Increased specific adsorption of n-fatty acids at Ca²⁺ sites on gypsum surfaces is positively correlated with alkyl chain length. Neutral lipids were not significantly enriched in either type of gypsum precipitates. The fatty acids associated with gypsum from sea salt evaporation pans are branched fatty acids in contrast to the predominantly normal acids associated with artificial gypsum samples. Differences in the two adsorbed acid distributions are attributed to the unique lipids of hypersaline biota.     

Diterpenoid compounds and other lipids in deep-sea sediments and their geochemical significance

Cyclic diterpenoid compounds have been found by various investigators in the geosphere (e.g. fossil resins, coals, soil, shale and deep-sea sediments). These compounds occur in significant amounts only in higher plants and are therefore potential markers of terrigenous plant lipids.Diterpenoids with the abietane skeleton (mainly dehydroabietic acid) have been identified in the lipids of sediment samples from the northeast Pacific Ocean, Black Sea and North Atlantic Ocean. The presence of these resin-derived compounds correlated with the terrigenous clay components and with the presence of pollen. The presence of polycyclic diterpenoids was also correlated with the distribution patterns and inferred sources of other sediment lipid constituents (e.g. n-alkanes, n-fatty acids, etc.).Potamic transport, followed by turbidite redistribution are the probable input mechanisms of these resin-derived compounds to the deep-sea sediments. These diterpenoids appear to be excellent biological markers of resinous higher plants.     

δC and δD identification of sources of lipid biomarkers in sediments of Lake Haruna (Japan)

Organic materials in lacustrine sediments are from multiple terrestrial and aquatic sources. In this study, carbon (δ¹³C) and hydrogen isotopic compositions (δD) of phytol, various sterols, and major n-fatty acids in sediments at Lake Haruna, Japan, were determined in their solvent-extractable (free) and saponification-released forms (bound). The δ¹³C-δD distributions of these lipid molecules in sediments are compared with those of terrestrial C3 and C4 plants, aquatic C3 plants, and plankton to evaluate their relative contributions. δ¹³C-δD of free phytol in sediments is very close to that of phytol in plankton samples, whereas δ¹³C-δD of bound phytol in sediments is on a mixing line between terrestrial C3 plant and plankton material. Unlike phytol, no significant δ¹³C-δD difference between free and bound forms was found in sterols and n-fatty acids. δ¹³C-δD values of algal sterols such as 24-methylcholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol in sediments are close to those of plankton, whereas δ¹³C-δD of multiple-source sterols such as 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3β-ol and of major n-fatty acids such as n-hexadecanoic acid in sediments are between those of terrestrial C3 plants and plankton samples. Thus, δ¹³C-δD distributions clearly indicate the specific source contributions of biomarkers preserved in a lacustrine environment. Free phytol and algal sterols can be attributed to phytoplankton, and bound phytol, multiple source sterols, and major n-fatty acids are contributed by both terrestrial C3 plants and phytoplankton.     

The importance of atmospheric input of terrestrial organic material to deep sea sediments

The concentrations of lipids were determined in atmospheric particle, gas and rain samples collected from the tropical North Pacific to assess lipid sources, transport mechanisms and fluxes to the ocean surface. Four lipid compound classes (aliphatic hydrocarbons, fatty alcohols, fatty acid esters, and salts) all unequivocally show a terrestrial vascular plant source. These aerosol lipids originate from wind erosion of Asian and American soils and direct emission from vegetation. The major fluxes result from rain rather than dry deposition. These fluxes are large enough to have a major potential impact on the inventory of terrestrially derived lipid material found in deep-sea sediments. This has been showm for n-alkanes, fatty alcohols, fatty acids, total lipids and for organic carbon. By comparing atmospheric and sediment trap fluxes with sediment accumulation rates, it is suggested that some biogenic terrestrial material is more protected from degradation than marine-derived material.     

Fatty acids in fossil fruits

Fatty acids extracted from six fruit of Nyssa fissilis from the Early Tertiary Brandon Lignite, Vermont, include mainly palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, and oleic acids and a number of probable branched chain acids. Four unidentified ‘round fruit’ from the lignite contained the same acids in predominance. The two taxa were chemically indistinguishable because of wide intraspecific variation in percentage of each n-fatty acid present. ‘Fingerprint’ chromatograms of non-aromatic hydrocarbon extracts from two distinct taxa of fruit from an Eocene clay of Tennessee also showed no consistent interspecific differences. We conclude that degradation and removal of the seed food reserves and introduction of extraneous lipids limits the utility of fatty acids and hydrocarbons in chemosystematic study of fossil fruits at the species and genus levels.     

Seasonal variation of fatty acids from drip water in Heshang Cave, central China

In order to investigate how lipids in cave water respond to seasonal climate change, drip water samples were collected from 2006 to 2008 in Heshang Cave, central China for fatty acid analysis. These lipids are abundant in the drip water. Their compositions are dominated by lower-molecular-weight nC16:0, nC18:0 and nC14:0 acids, together with mono-unsaturated nC18:1, nC16:1 and nC14:1. Analysis of one water sample revealed marked differences between the dissolved and particulate fractions. The dissolved fraction contains total fatty acids one order of magnitude higher than that of the particulate fraction. The distributional patterns of the fatty acids suggest that microbes living in the overlying soils and/or groundwater system contribute most fatty acids to the drip water. This 2-a monitoring experiment reveals that the abundance of mono-unsaturated fatty acids relative to the saturated homologues (nC16:1/nC16:0 and nC18:1/nC18:0) relate inversely to the changes of synchronous external air temperature. Higher values occur under cold conditions (winter/spring), while lower values appear in warm intervals (summer). Further studies are needed to elucidate the dynamic processes by which the external temperature affects fatty acids in drip water and to confirm the potential application of fatty acid ratios such as nC16:1/nC16:0 and nC18:1/nC18:0 in paleotemperature reconstructions.     

Effect of different wetness conditions on Sphagnum lipid composition in the Erxianyan peatland,central China

Samples of Sphagnum palustre and peat from the Erxianyan peatland, central China, were analyzed for lipids and their carbon isotopes to investigate how lipid distributions respond to hydrological change and to evaluate the importance of the contribution of microbial lipids to the peat moss. The lipids in samples collected from different hydrological settings in and around a pond and in the central part of the bog show clear variation along the hydrological gradient, with higher n-C₂₃/n-C₂₅ alkane ratio values and lower ACL (average chain length) values of long chain n-alkanes, n-fatty alcohols and n-fatty acids at the wetter sites. Although the relationship between the S. palustre lipids and the hydrological conditions can be partially overprinted in peat by an input from vascular plants, lipid ratios such as P_aq and ACL can provide useful qualitative information about Sphagnum contributions. In addition, lipid composition and carbon isotope values provide information about microbial activity associated with S. palustre. The occurrence of a high abundance of 7-methylheptadecane in submerged S. palustre is an indication of cyanobacteria in the living peat moss. The relatively ¹³C-depleted carbon isotope values of the n-C₂₃ alkane could result from the influence of symbiotic methanotrophs on the carbon available for assimilation by S. palustre.     

Hydrocarbons and fatty acids in the Evergreen Shale,Surat Basin,Queensland, Australia

Alkane hydrocarbon and n-fatty acid distributions have been examined in cores taken over a 550 ft thickness through the lower Jurassic, largely non-marine Evergreen Shale, Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia. No depth trends in compound abundances or carbon preference indices are discernible. There is no evidence for significant generation of n-alkanes from kerogen nor for cracking of long-chain n-alkanes. The present distribution patterns of the biochemicals probably reflect closely the nature of the original organic matter. The general strong dominance of long-chain (C₂₀₊) n-alkanes; the lack of evidence for diagenetic change; and the absence of correlation between abundances of n-alkanes and n-fatty acids (among both the longer- and shorter-chain compounds), lead to the conclusion that at least the long-chain n-alkanes were largely deposited as such in the sediment, having originated in land-plant material, remains of which are abundant in the samples. In the upper 170 ft. (possibly marine), n-alkanes with chain lengths below C₂₀ become important, suggesting greater significance of aquatic life as a source of organic matter at the time of deposition, a conclusion which is in general accord with the geological history of the basin, although this history is not well known.     

Diagenesis of free and bound lipids in terrestrial detritus deposited in a lacustrine sediment

Recent sediments from an oligotrophic lake (Loch Clair) having uniform organic input for 2000 yr show changes in lipid abundance and composition, with increasing depth, attributed to diagenesis. Stability of free lipids decreases in the order n-alkanes, alkan-2-ones, sterols, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkanols, n-alkenoic acids. Diagenetic loss of shorter-chain homologues is complete within 400 yr. Stabilisation of bound relative to free lipids increases the proportion of the former with sediment age and reduces loss of shorter-chain bound homologues.In an eutrophic lake (Cross Mere), shorter-chain free and bound sedimentary lipids show increased abundance compared with Loch Clair. The relative importance of higher input of shorter-chain lipids derived from aquatic detritus, and slower initial diagenesis due to the anoxic hypolimnion, as causative factors for this difference between lake types cannot yet be assessed.