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Title: Absence of preserved glucosamine and amino acids in fossil crustacean exoskeletons

Journal Article · · Org. Geochem.; (United States)

No glucosamine and only traces of amino acids were detected in kerogen prepared from fossil crustacean exoskeletons. The elemental C/N ratios of the kerogen samples were above 20, indicating that most of the organic nitrogen was eliminated from the chitin biopolymer during diagenesis. The results contradict earlier reports of the stability of chitin during fossilization.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, Los Angeles (USA)
OSTI ID:
5231702
Journal Information:
Org. Geochem.; (United States), Vol. 12:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English