Carbohydrates in recent marine sediments—II. Occurrence and fate of carbohydrates in a recent stromatolitic deposit: Solar Lake,Sinai

In a study on the diagenesis of carbohydrates in a recent stromatolitic deposit (Solar Lake, Sinai) monosaccharides are quantitated after mild acid hydrolysis and gas chromatographic analysis as alditol acetates. From the depth profiles of the individual monosaccharides relative to the total organic carbon three categories of carbohydrates can be distinguished. The behaviour of the various categories upon burial is discussed in terms of their potential to become a part of the organic matter that survives geological periods. The distribution patterns of especially the mono-O-methyl monosaccharides at various depths are characteristics for the bacterial communities present in the corresponding parts of the sediment column.