DOCSLIB.ORG

Sedimentary Lipids As Indicators of Depositional Conditions in the Coastal Peruvian Upwelling Regime

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sedimentary Lipids As Indicators of Depositional Conditions in the Coastal Peruvian Upwelling Regime Sedimentary lipids as indicators of depositional conditions in the coastal Peruvian upwelling regime by Mark A. McCaffrey A.B., Magna Cum Laude With Highest Honors, Harvard University (1985) SUBMITITED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and the WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION MAY 1990 © Mark A. McCaffrey 1990. All rights reserved. The author hereby grants to MIT and WHOI permission to reproduce and to distribute copies of this thesis document in whole or in part. Signature of Author Department of Earth and(Marfjary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Joint Program in Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology/ Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, May 90. Certified by,, dh n W.~Fir'ingto Danie~l J. Rep~et Co-thsiuperv' Co-thesis Supervisor Accepted by Philip 1. Gschwend, Chairman, Joint Committee for Chemical Oceanography, Massactusetts Institute of Technol/ ods HoId Oaporaphic Institution VWA2'1OsrTislNSTLOUTE LIBRARIES Undge 11 iii ABSTRACT This thesis assesses the utility of various sedimentary lipids as indicators of short- term changes in depositional conditions and sedimentary organic matter sources in the coastal upwelling regime off of Peru. A variety of lipids (n-alkanes, n-alkanols, C37 alkenones, hopanoids, keto-ols, lycopane, phytol, stenols, stanols, sterenes, and tetrahymanol) were quantified in Peru margin sediments from both the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ and several near-shore locations. I discuss the utility of the lipid profiles, the alkenone-U "paleothermometer", the n-alkane CPI, and several stanol/stenol ratios as indicators of short-term changes in depositional conditions. This work also provides the first assessment of the influence of Thioploca, a genus of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, on organic compound distributions in upwelling regime sediments. The potential of the alkenone-U 7 as a sedimentary marker for El Ninlo/ Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events was assessed by comparing the historical ENSO record with 2 10 detailed U37 profiles for Pb-dated cores from the OMZ. Sediments from the center of the OMZ sectioned at intervals the yearly sedimentation rate have the greatest potential for k ksinlofidvdaElNoevnswr holding a U; 7 record of El Nifno events. The U37 signals of individual El Nino events were substantially attenuated in the sediments examined, and periods of frequent ENSO activity (e.g., 1870-1891) were more readily identified than isolated ENSO events in periods of less frequent ENSO activity. Detailed depth profiles of the C37 alkenones in a core, SC3, from =253 m (02 <0. 1 ml/1 bottom water) suggest significant alkenone degradation and/or alteration (=30%) in the 0-1 cm interval, despite the dysoxic depositional conditions. However, the similarity of the Uk7 values for the five 2 mm sections from 0-1 cm suggest that the U37 may be unaffected by the alkenone loss. Correlation between the C37 alkenone concentration profiles in two cores from =15*S collected nine years apart are consistent with the use of these compounds for "molecular stratigraphy." The utility of sedimentary hydrocarbons and alcohols as indicators of short-term changes in depositional conditions was determined in core SC3 by (1) a multivariate factor analysis of the lipid data and (2) a consideration of individual source-specific biomarkers. In this core, profiles of odd-carbon-number n-alkanes (C25-C33) and even-carbon number n-alkanols (C24-C28) reflect changes in the input of terrigenous sediment relative to marine sediment during deposition, as indicated by the correlations between these lipids and inorganic indicators of terrigenous clastic debris. The n-alkane carbon preference index (CPI) provides a less-sensitive record of fluctuations in the terrestrial input than the concentration profiles of the individual n-alkanes and n-alkanols, and these lipids are not well-correlated with the historical El Nibo record. The similarity of all the stenol profiles measured and the lack of concordance between these profiles and inorganic indicators of terrigenous input suggest that fluctuations in the abundance of higher plant stenols are obscured by the larger marine contribution of these compounds. Similarities between the profiles of total organic carbon (TOC) and cholestanol/cholesterol are consistent with stenol hydrogenation being influenced by the sediment redox conditions. Profiles of sterols and sterol alteration products illustrate that the rapid downcore decreases in sterol concentrations do not simply represent conversion of sterols into other steroidal compounds, but must also involve steroid degradation and possibly formation of iv non-solvent-extractable steroids. In OMZ sediments, the ratio [cholesterol alteration products] / [cholesterol + cholesterol alteration products] substantially increases from 0-4 cm, but at deeper depths, there is no systematic change in the ratio. This suggests that if there is a progressive conversion of cholesterol to these degradation products below 4 cm, then it is obscured by an equally rapid removal of these compounds from the sediments. Stenol profiles in surface sediments suggest a range of degradation rates for these compounds. Differential remineralization of steroids can cause the relative steroid abundances in ancient sediments to bear little resemblance to the relative abundances of the sterols from which these compounds were derived. This limits the use of steroids as indicators of the relative importance of the original organic matter inputs. However, important quantitative statements can be made concerning the depositional environment, based on the presence, rather than relative abundance, of certain steroids derived from specific sources. In SC3, the downcore increase in burial time (100 cm= 310 years b.p.) and the downcore changes in sediment chemistry did not result in accumulation of cholesterol alteration products from more advanced portions of the alteration pathways than are achieved in the 0-1 cm interval. The absence of cholest-4-ene, cholest-5-ene and cholestane suggests that cholestadiene reduction to cholestenes and cholestene reduction to cholestane do not begin to occur over the time scale and under the sedimentary conditions encountered in the surface 100 cm of Peru margin OMZ sediments. Although the hopanoids found in the Peru sediments can be related relatively easily to compounds found in ancient sediments and oils, these hopanoids are not as useful as steroids for reconstruction of organic matter sources and paleoenvironmental conditions. This is because the bacterially-derived precursors of these compounds are generally not specific to any particular type of bacteria. This thesis provides the first assessment of the influence of Thioploca on organic compound distributions in upwelling regime sediments. Thioploca, a genus of colorless, sulfur-oxidizing, filamentous bacteria, constitutes as much as 80% of the biomass in surface sediments from the OMZ. Since marine species of Thioploca have been found only in dysaerobic surface sediments of upwelling regimes, biomarkers for this organism may be useful in identifying similar depositional conditions in the sedimentary record. Thioploca (dry) was found to be =3.8-4.1 wt% lipid. Three fatty acids: cis 16:1A9, 16:0 and cis 18: lA1 1 accounted for 69-72% of this lipid. Hydroxy fatty acids, hopanoids and hydrocarbons were conspicuously absent from the Thioploca. This organism was found to contain cyclolaudenol, a C31 sterol with an unusual structure; diagenetic alteration products of this sterol may serve as markers for Thioploca input to sedimentary organic matter, and hence as markers for paleo-upwelling depositional environments in the sedimentary record. No quantitatively significant alteration products of cyclolaudenol were identified in the Peru surface sediments. Thioploca was found to be 9-10 dry wt% protein, and the THAA composition of the Thioploca contained no unusual amino acids that might serve as Thioploca markers. The Thioploca THAA composition was similar to surface sediment from core SC3 (0-1 cm), but differed significantly from the THAA composition of surface sediments (0-3 cm) from the Peru margin analyzed in a previous study. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to my thesis supervisors, John W. Farrington and Daniel J. Repeta, for patiently making an organic geochemist out of a geologist, for their scientific perspective, expertise, and constant encouragement. Jean Whelan provided invaluable training in organic chemistry theory. Phil Gschwend and Glenn Jones, as members of my thesis committee, provided important additional perspectives on this work. Douglas Nelson's identification of the Thioploca in the Peru sediments I investigated was much appreciated. I thank the WHOI education office for partially funding my participation in three conferences which contributed substantially to many of the ideas presented here. Research funding was provided by the National Science Foundation (OCE 88-11409 and OCE 85-09859) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Ocean Ventures Fund. Acknowledgements of assistance with specific analyses are given at the end of each chapter. I thank Eric Newcomb, my Mother, and Brendan Connell for their friendship and support which came to define my years at Woods Hole. I thank Marc Brown, my college freshman roommate, for nine years of friendship, provocative conversation, and liberal balance which has been a point-of-reference throughout my
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Molecular Biogeochemistry, Lecture 8
    12.158 Lecture Pigment-derived Biomarkers (1) Colour, structure, distribution and function (2) Biosynthesis (3) Nomenclature (4) Aromatic carotenoids ● Biomarkers for phototrophic sulfur bacteria ● Alternative biological sources (5) Porphyrins and maleimides Many of the figures in this lecture were kindly provided by Jochen Brocks, RSES ANU 1 Carotenoid pigments ● Carotenoids are usually yellow, orange or red coloured pigments lutein β-carotene 17 18 19 2' 2 4 6 8 3 7 9 16 1 5 lycopenelycopene 2 Structural diversity ● More than 600 different natural structures are known, ● They are derived from the C40 carotenoid lycopene by varied hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, cyclization and oxidation reaction 17 18 19 2' 2 4 6 8 3 7 9 16 1 5 lycopene neurosporene α-carotene γ -carotene spirilloxanthin siphonaxanthin canthaxanthin spheroidenone 3 Structural diversity Purple non-sulfur bacteria peridinin 7,8-didehydroastaxanthin okenone fucoxanthin Biological distribution ● Carotenoids are biosynthesized de novo by all phototrophic bacteria, eukaryotes and halophilic archaea ● They are additionally synthesized by a large variety of non-phototrophs ● Vertebrates and invertebrates have to incorporate carotenoids through the diet, but have often the capacity to structurally modifiy them 4 Carotenoid function (1) Accessory pigments in Light Harvesting Complex (LHC) (annual production by marine phytoplancton alone: 4 million tons) e.g. LH-II Red and blue: protein complex Green: chlorophyll Yellow: lycopene (2) Photoprotection (3) photoreceptors for phototropism
    [Show full text]
  • New Structural Insights Into the Extracellular Matrix And
    NEW STRUCTURAL INSIGHTS INTO THE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX AND HYDROCARBON DIVERSITY OF Botryococcus Braunii RACE B A Dissertation by MEHMET TATLI Submitted to the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Chair of Committee, Timothy P. Devarenne Committee Members, Jaan Laane Vladislav M. Panin Paul A. Lindahl Head of Department, Gregory D. Reinhart May 2018 Major Subject: Biochemistry Copyright 2018 Mehmet Tatli ABSTRACT Botryococcus braunii is a colonial green microalga that can produce large amounts of liquid isoprenoid hydrocarbons known as botryococcenes, which can be easily converted into conventional combustion engine fuels. B. braunii colony cells are held together by a complex extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM serves as a storage unit for liquid hydrocarbons, and contains a retaining wall and a polysaccharide fibrillar sheath. Analysis of “shells” revealed a single protein. Here we use peptide mass fingerprinting and bioinformatics to identify this protein called polysaccharide associated protein (PSAP). PSAP does not show similarity to any protein in databases, and contains several hydroxyproline domains and a predicted sugar binding domain. Staining studies confirm PSAP as a glycoprotein, and mass spectrometry analysis identified ten N-linked glycosylation sites comprising seven different glycans containing mostly mannose and N- acetylglucosamine with fucose and arabinose. Additionally, four hydroxyproline residues have short O-linked glycans of mainly arabinose and galactose, with 6-deoxyhexose. PSAP secretion and localization to shell material is confirmed using western blot analysis and microscopy. These studies indicate PSAP contains unique glycans and suggest its involvement in ECM polysaccharide fiber biosynthesis.
    [Show full text]
  • Application of CSIA of Light Oils and Utility of Carotenoid Biomarkers in Resource Plays of North America J
    Application of CSIA of Light Oils and Utility of Carotenoid Biomarkers in Resource Plays of North America J. E. Zumberge1, C. D. Barrie1, J. B. Curtis*1, R. E. Summons2; 1. GeoMark Research, Ltd., Houston, TX, USA; 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Abstract Here we examine the value in crude oil correlations and source rock depositional environment predictions based on non-standard compound-specific isotope analysis and carotenoid biomarker data. Results from various unconventional plays (e.g., Late Devonian Bakken and Woodford Fms from the Williston and Anadarko Basins; Cretaceous Second White Specks, Niobrara, Mowry and Eagle Ford Fms in the Western Interior Seaway) are discussed and compared. These data provide new insights into resource plays using novel and relatively rapid analytical methods. Molecular isotopic data and carotenoid biomarker distributions of petroleum systems tend to be distinct so that, in combination with commonly used sterane and hopane biomarkers, oil-oil and oil-source correlations can be made with much greater fidelity. Statement of the background This paper addresses novel application of compound-specific isotope analysis and carotenoid hydrocarbon characterization to better understand, and perhaps predict the productivity of hydrocarbons from source-rock reservoirs. This work provides new and detailed insight into resource play petroleum systems. Aims and Objectives Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool in understanding the generation, history and correlation of hydrocarbons. Compound-specific δ13C measurements of oils allow detailed comparison of individual compound groupings; however, most studies separate and isolate individual fractions based on the chemistries of particular compound groups, potentially losing or corrupting valuable data.
    [Show full text]
  • Deep Sea Drilling Project Initial Reports Volume 63
    33. GEOCHEMISTRY OF TETRAPYRROLE, CAROTENOID, AND PERYLENE PIGMENTS IN SEDIMENTS FROM THE SAN MIGUEL GAP (SITE 467) AND BAJA CALIFORNIA BORDERLAND (SITE 471), DEEP SEA DRILLING PROJECT LEG 631 J. William Louda and Earl W. Baker, Organic Geochemistry Group, College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida INTRODUCTION for perylene, and homologues, is proposed: the role of diagenetic-geothermal history indicator. That is, as Twenty-one core samples from DSDP/IPOD Leg 63 depth of burial and in situ sediment temperature in- were analyzed for products of chlorophyll diagenesis. In creased, the proportion of C-21, C-22, and C-23 alkyl- addition to the tetrapyrrole pigments, perylene and ated derivatives of perylene (C-20) increased. On the carotenoid pigments were isolated and identified. basis of sediment depth and thermal profiles, the alkyl- The 16 core samples from the San Miguel Gap site perylenes were found to be generated prior to the ap- (467) and the five from the Baja California borderland pearance of nickel porphyrin homologues above C-32 location (471) afforded the unique opportunity of exam- and the release or formation of the vanadyl pigments. ining tetrapyrrole diagenesis in clay-rich marine sedi- Alkylation of perylene within DSDP/IPOD sample ments that are very high in total organic matter. suites has previously been mentioned (Brassell et al., The chelation reaction, whereby free-base porphyrins 1980). give rise to metalloporphyrins (viz., nickel), is well ß-Carotene was found to be present in Site 467 upper documented within the downhole sequence of sediments Pliocene and Quaternary sections (viz., 467-18-5 and from the San Miguel Gap (Site 467).
    [Show full text]
  • Gas Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Investigation of Seep
    RICE UNIVERSITY GAS CHROHATOGRAP! 11 C-i IASS SPECTROMCTRIC iriVESTIGATION OF SEEP OIL ISOPRENOID ALKANES by' David James Curry A THESIS SUBMITTED III PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS Thesis Director's' signature ■ficCt rfc Houston, Texas August, 1072 TABLE OF COKTENTS ACSC'IOMLEDGEMEHTS ' 1 ABSTRACT... 2 INTRODUCTION TO GEOCHEMISTRY 4. ISOPRENOID ALKANES. 10 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION ....1C EXPERIMENTAL METHODS.-. ;...20 INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS.......20 SUMMARY. .01 POSSIBILITIES FOR FUTURE STUDY ........64 TABLES.'..... ........SO CHROMATOGRAMS 71 FOOTNOTES..... 74 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY. 76 MASS SPECTRA MS 1 (Phytane) 15,43 I IS 2 (Authenti c Pri s tane)..... .. .25 MS 3 (Pristane).' 26,40 I IS 4 (Au then ti c P r.i s tane) . ...27 MS 5 (C^ Isoprenoid) ...31 OO MS 6 (3-,7-,ll-trin;ethyl tetradecana) • • « sJsJ MS 7 (C1? Unknown) ... 33 MS 8 (C10 Isoorenoid) ...36 MS 9 (Pristane) ,38 MS 18 (Ci Unknown) 41 MS 11 (C22 Isoprenoicl) 44 MS 12 (C23 Isoprenoid),. 46 IIS 13- (C2* Isoprenoicl) 48 MS 14 (C2g Isoprenoicl) 50 MS 15 (C2Q Iscprenoid)...: 51 MS 15 (COQ Isoprenoid) MS 17 (Proposed C2C Isoprenoid) 64 CHROMATOGRAMS GC I (Total Branched alkane-cycloalkane Fraction) 71 GC II (Still Residue Branched Alkane-cycloalkane Fraction)72 GC III (Total, normal Alkane Fraction) 73 (GC I,II,III were taken on 3% SE-30 phase) TABLES I: Composition of Distillation and 56 Column'Chromatography Fractions II: Approximate Relative and Absoluts 67 Amounts of Isoprenoid Components III: Off Scale Intensities of Mass..... !...68 Spectrometric Peaks IV: Initial Separatory Gas Chroma- _ 69 tographic Conditions V: .
    [Show full text]
  • This Article Was Published in an Elsevier Journal. the Attached Copy
    This article was published in an Elsevier journal. The attached copy is furnished to the author for non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the author’s institution, sharing with colleagues and providing to institution administration. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright Author's personal copy Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 72 (2008) 1396–1414 www.elsevier.com/locate/gca Okenane, a biomarker for purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae), and other new carotenoid derivatives from the 1640 Ma Barney Creek Formation Jochen J. Brocks a,*, Philippe Schaeffer b a Research School of Earth Sciences and Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia b Laboratoire de Ge´ochimie Bio-organique, CNRS UMR 7177, Ecole Europe´enne de Chimie, Polyme`res et Mate´riaux, 25 rue Becquerel, 67200 Strasbourg, France Received 20 June 2007; accepted in revised form 12 December 2007; available online 23 December 2007 Abstract Carbonates of the 1640 million years (Ma) old Barney Creek Formation (BCF), McArthur Basin, Australia, contain more than 22 different C40 carotenoid derivatives including lycopane, c-carotane, b-carotane, chlorobactane, isorenieratane, b-iso- renieratane, renieratane, b-renierapurpurane, renierapurpurane and the monoaromatic carotenoid okenane.
    [Show full text]
  • Deep Sea Drilling Project Initial Reports Volume 66
    21. PRELIMINARY LIPID ANALYSES OF TWO QUATERNARY SEDIMENTS FROM THE MIDDLE AMERICA TRENCH, SOUTHERN MEXICO TRANSECT, DEEP SEA DRILLING PROJECT LEG 661 S. C. Brassell, G. Eglinton, and J. R. Maxwell, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom ABSTRACT We investigated the solvent-extractable hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, and carboxylic acids of two Quaternary sediments from the Middle America Trench (Sections 487-2-3 and 491-1-5). These lipids are derived from a mixed input of autochthonous and allochthonous materials, with minor contributions from thermally mature sources. Their com- positions are typical of those of immature Quaternary marine sediments, and their lipid distributions show many similarities to those of Japan Trench sediments. INTRODUCTION RESULTS The solvent-extractable lipids of two Quaternary sed- The distributions of aliphatic hydrocarbons, ketones, iments (Sections 487-2-3 and 491-1-5) from the oceanic alcohols, and carboxylic acids and of aromatic hydro- plate and central slope of the Middle America Trench carbons are reported herein. In addition, other suites of were investigated by gas chromatography and comput- components such as a, co-dicarboxylic acids and numer- erized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The sec- ous minor or unrecognized compounds were detected, tions were chosen to permit the comparison of environ- but are not included. ments on either side of the trench. This preliminary re- port describes the lipid compositions of these two sam- Aliphatic Hydrocarbons ples and interprets them in terms of their input sources, conditions of deposition, and extent of diagenesis. We Acyclic Components also make a brief comparison of their lipid distributions The n-alkanes of Sections 487-2-3 and 491-1-5 both with those of Quaternary sediments from the Japan ranged from C14 to C35 with «-C29 dominant.
    [Show full text]
  • Perturbation to the Nitrogen Cycle During Rapid Early Eocene Global Warming
    ARTICLE DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05486-w OPEN Perturbation to the nitrogen cycle during rapid Early Eocene global warming Christopher K. Junium 1, Alexander J. Dickson2 & Benjamin T. Uveges 1 The degree to which ocean deoxygenation will alter the function of marine communities remains unclear but may be best constrained by detailed study of intervals of rapid warming in the geologic past. The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was an interval of 1234567890():,; rapid warming that was the result of increasing contents of greenhouse gases in the atmo- sphere that had wide ranging effects on ecosystems globally. Here, we present stable nitrogen isotope data from the Eastern Peri-Tethys Ocean that record a significant transition in the nitrogen cycle. At the initiation of the PETM, the nitrogen isotopic composition of sediments decreased by ~6‰ to as low as −3.4‰, signaling reorganization of the marine nitrogen cycle. Warming, changes in ocean circulation, and deoxygenation caused a transition to nitrogen cycle to conditions that were most similar to those experienced during Oceanic Anoxic Events of the Mesozoic. 1 Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. 2 Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to C.K.J. (email: [email protected]) NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | (2018) 9:3186 | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05486-w | www.nature.com/naturecommunications 1 ARTICLE NATURE COMMUNICATIONS | DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05486-w roductivity in the marine environment is ultimately con- succession was located on the northern part of the wide, shallow trolled by the cycling of nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, and Peri-Tethys seaway, which was dramatically flooded starting in P 11,12 other bio-limiting trace elements.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pennsylvania State University the Graduate School The
    The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School The Department of Chemistry NEW ANALYTICAL APPROACHES TO UNDERSTAND BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS WITH SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY A Dissertation in Chemistry by Lauren Marie Jackson 2014 Lauren Marie Jackson Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2014 The dissertation of Lauren Marie Jackson was reviewed and approved* by the following: Nicholas Winograd Evan Pugh Professor of Chemistry Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Wayne Curtis Professor of Chemical Engineering Thomas Mallouk Evan Pugh Professor of Materials Chemistry and Physics Associate Head of the Chemistry Department Barbara Garrison Shapiro Professor of Chemistry Head of the Chemistry Department *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT The work of this thesis has focused on investigating biological systems with the most current secondary ion mass spectrometry instrumentation and novel sample preparation techniques. The microalga biofuel candidate, Botryococcus braunii, has been thoroughly investigated by three-dimensional chemical imaging to answer several questions regarding its metabolism and chemical composition. These findings provide a breadth of information beneficial and crucial to the successful advancement of B. braunii as a biofuel. The enhancement effects and cellular vitrification capabilities of trehalose have been explored and confirmed trehalose entry into cells has been found. This work is evidence of the great contributions to
    [Show full text]
  • Selective Preservation of Organic Matter in Marine Environments; Processes and Impact on the Sedimentary Record
    Biogeosciences, 7, 483–511, 2010 www.biogeosciences.net/7/483/2010/ Biogeosciences © Author(s) 2010. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Selective preservation of organic matter in marine environments; processes and impact on the sedimentary record K. A. F. Zonneveld1, G. J. M. Versteegh1, S. Kasten2, T. I. Eglinton3, K.-C. Emeis4, C. Huguet5,6, B. P. Koch2, G. J. de Lange7, J. W. de Leeuw6,7,8, J. J. Middelburg7,9, G. Mollenhauer2, F. G. Prahl10, J. Rethemeyer2, and S. G. Wakeham11 1Fachbereich 5 – Geowissenschaften, Postfach 330440, 27412 Bremen, Germany 2Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany 3Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Fye 111, MS#4, Woods Hole, Ma. 02543, USA 4Zentrum fur¨ Meeres- und Klimaforschung, Universitat¨ Hamburg, Bundesstraße 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany 5University of Washington, School of Oceanography, P.O. Box 355351, Seattle, WA 98195, USA 6Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790AB, Den Burg, The Netherlands 7Geochemistry, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands 8Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, The Netherlands 9Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, The Netherlands 10College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, COAS Administration Building 104, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-5503, USA 11Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA 31411, USA Received: 3 June 2009 – Published in Biogeosciences Discuss.: 1 July 2009 Revised: 7 January 2010 – Accepted: 21 January 2010 – Published: 5 February 2010 Abstract.
    [Show full text]
  • Isoprenoid Lipids, Lecture 2
    Organic Geochemistry Wk. 2 • Polyisoprenoid lipids – Structural diversity and biosynthesis – Hydrocarbons – Complex lipids in archaea – Isoprenoids of plants and algae – Polyisoprenoids as environment and process indicators • Lacustrine environments – botryococcenes etc • Methanogenesis • Anaerobic oxidation of methane – Fossil record of Archaea O O O O O P O P O- O P O P O- 20 DMAPP O- O- 21 IPP O- O- O O O P O P O- - - 22 GPP O O 24 OH 23 shc sqmo [O2] osc 25 26 O 27 1a [9 O2] HO HO 2- carbon molecule be the major building block for the complex 27- carbon, 4- ringed structure of the cholesterol molecule? BLOCH, LYNEN, AND THE CORNFORTH / POPJAK TEAM In the late 1930s, another young Jewish émigré from Germany, Konrad Bloch, joined Clarke’s department as a graduate student. Bloch had already completed most of his thesis research at the University of Basel and had published two papers on that research. Still, the Basel faculty rejected it as “insufficient” (10). Bloch many years later learned that only one examiner on his committee had objected and that was on the grounds that the thesis failed to cite some important references – papers authored by that examiner! Looking back, Bloch realized that this may have been providential. Had he passes he decided to stay on in Germany. At any rate, when Bloch came to New York in 1936, Clarke, a guardian angel to refugee scientists, admitted him to his program and the Ph.D. was awarded about 2 years later. At that point, Schoenheimer offered a Bloch position in his Courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fate of Carotenoids in Sediments: an Overview
    Pure & Appl. Chem., Vol. 69, No. 10, pp. 2067-2074, 1997. Printed in Great Britain. Q 1997 IUPAC The fate of carotenoids in sediments: An overview Jaap S. Sinninghe Damst6 and Martin P. Koopmans Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Department of Marine Biogeo- chemistry and Toxicology, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands Abstract: Despite carotenoids being abundant natural products, there are only scattered literature reports of carotenoid derivatives (mainly in the form of their 'perhydro' derivatives) in ancient sediments and petroleum. This was thought to be due to the sensitivity of carotenoids toward oxygen and their preservation potential in sediments was judged to be low. Detailed studies in the past years have indicated, however, that the fossil 'perhydro' derivatives of carotenoids represent only the tip of the iceberg and that a number of reactions occurring with the polyene chain (i.e. expulsion of toluene and xylene, cyclisation and aromatisation, reaction with reduced inorganic sulfur species, hydrogenation, C-C bond cleavage) determine the fate of carotenoids in ancient sediments and lead to complex mixtures of carotenoid derivatives. In addition, aromatisation of cyclohexenyl moieties (as present in e.g. p- carotene) occurs. An overview of these reactions is given. INTRODUCTION Only a minute fraction of the organic matter biosynthesised by marine photosynthetic organisms reaches the sea floor and ultimately becomes buried in ancient sediments. This is a process which leads to loss of labile biosynthetic products and carotenoids were generally thought to be included in this class of components (ref. 1). Recently, however, it has become clear that the potential for preservation of carotenoids is actually larger than anticipated and remnants of carotenoids are present in ancient rocks and crude oils as old as 450 million years.
    [Show full text]