Molecular organic geochemistry of ornithogenic sediment from Svalbard, Arctic

• Main Authors: Jianjun, Wang, Liguang, Sun
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC 2009
• Subjects: Fauna; Terrestrial; Arctic; Svalbard; Advances in Polar Science; Polar Science
• Online Access: http://library.arcticportal.org/2370/; http://library.arcticportal.org/2370/1/A0090104.pdf

The molecular biomarker compositions of the ornithogenic sediments(YN) , from Svalbard, Arctic were investigated. The results showed that n-alkanes had a bimodal pattern and their odd-even preference was not obvious. The alkanes contained unresolved complex mixtures (UCM) and relatively high levels of pristine and retene, indicating pollution from the nearby coal mines. The n-alkanols in the sediments had even-to-odd preference, and they might originate mainly from modern biota. Sitosterol, the main sterol in herbivores feces, was the dominant sterol, indicating that sitosterol might be a good biomarker of input from the birds feces in the sediments. The fatty acids of the sediments showed even-to-odd p reference, and the main unsaturated fatty acid is C18∶1 acid. Theα-hydroxyl acids and ω-hydroxyl fatty acids were also detected in the sediments. In summary, the organic matters in the YN sediments were from the adjacent coalmines, bird feces, and p lants.