Terrestrial organic carbon contributions to sediments on the Washington margin

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(94)90177-5· OSTI ID:6824081

Prahl, F G; Sparrow, M A; Eversmeyer, B ^[1]; Ertel, J R ^[2]; Goni, M A ^[3]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States)
2. Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)
3. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA (United States)

Elemental and stable carbon isotopic compositions and biomarker concentrations were determined in sediments from the Columbia River basin and the Washington margin in order to evaluate geochemical approaches for quantifying terrestrial organic matter in marine sediments. The biomarkers include: an homologous series of long-chain n-alkanes derived from the surface waxes of higher plants; phenolic and hydroxyalkanoic compounds produced by CuO oxidation of two major vascular plant biopolymers, lignin and cutin. All marine sediments, including samples collected from the most remote sites in Cascadia Basin, showed organic geochemical evidence for the presence of terrestrial organic carbon. Using endmember values for the various biomarkers determined empirically by two independent means, the authors estimate that the terrestrial contribution to the Washington margin is [approximately] 60% for shelf sediments, [approximately] 30% for slope sediments, and decreases further to [le] 15% in basin sediments. Results from the same geochemical measurements made with depth in gravity core 6705-7 from Cascadia Seachannel suggest that this approach to assess terrestrial organic carbon contributions to contemporary deposits on the Washington margin can be applied to the study of sediments depositing in this region since the last glacial period.

• OSTI ID: 6824081
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (United States), Vol. 58:14; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COASTAL WATERS
SEDIMENTS
CARBON CYCLE
WASHINGTON
CARBON 13
ORGANIC MATTER
PHENOLS
AROMATICS
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MATTER
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)