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Published November 2009 | public
Journal Article

Raman spectroscopy and biomarker analysis reveal multiple carbon inputs to a Precambrian glacial sediment

Abstract

Extractable biomarkers can help elucidate the environment and biota of ancient glaciations, although the method must be applied with care, as glacial sediments have a potential for incorporation of older detrital carbon. In Phanerozoic glacial sediments, the distinct elemental, molecular and isotopic compositions of the terrestrial and marine biomass allow discrimination between primary marine and redeposited terrestrial organic matter. However, as the Proterozoic biosphere was largely microbial and marine, biomarker and isotopic analyses are insufficient for distinguishing primary organic matter from secondary reworked organic matter. Here, we report the combined application of Raman spectroscopy and biomarker analysis to Precambrian glacial sediments, which, together, allows discrimination between mixed pools of organic carbon and provides a promising new approach for rapidly screening Precambrian sediments for immature organic matter amenable to biomarker analysis.

Additional Information

© 2009 Elsevier Ltd. Received 22 April 2009; revised 19 August 2009; accepted 25 August 2009. Available online 29 August 2009. Associate Editor—S. Schouten. We thank the Votorantim Metais company and T.F. de Oliveira for samples and the Australian Research Council and a NSF grant (EAR0418083) for funding, as well as J. Jehlička and an anonymous reviewer for constructive comments.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 19, 2023