Diagenesis of higher plant triterpenes in evaporitic sediments

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(95)00307-X· OSTI ID:543071

Poinsot, J; Adam, P; Trendel, J M ^[1]

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1. Universite Louis Pasteur, Pau (France); and others

Several samples from a Tertiary carbonated evaporitic series (Sainte-Cecile, Camargue, France) were investigated. Their analysis revealed a high abundance of new or uncommon hydrocarbons and organic S compounds related to higher plant triterpenes. Several of them, in particular, 12,29-cyclolupa-12,18,20(29)-triene 1, could be positively identified. These triterpenoids are generally absent from non-evaporitic sediments which contain essentially aromatic triterpenoids resulting from microbially mediated aromatization processes starting in ring A (or in ring B when preceded by the loss of ring A). The uncommon transformations undergone by higher plant triterpenes in the highly anoxic sediments from Sainte-Cecile are specific for each series of triterpenes (i.e., oleanane, ursane, lupane) and are probably linked with the rapid disappearance of the functionality located in ring A by reduction or by the incorporation of the triterpenes in S-rich macromolecules by reaction with inorganic S species. These biological markers represent new source parameters which may be quite useful as indicators of terrestrial inputs in evaporitic deposits. 33 refs., 10 figs.

• OSTI ID: 543071
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 59; ISSN GCACAK; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
DETECTION
DIAGENESIS
EVAPORITES
FRANCE
GEOCHEMISTRY
HYDROCARBONS
ORIGIN
SEDIMENTS
STRATIGRAPHY
TERPENES
TERTIARY PERIOD