Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 17 December 1965:
Vol. 150. no. 3703, pp. 1588 - 1589
DOI: 10.1126/science.150.3703.1588
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Isoprenoid Hydrocarbons in Recent Sediments: Presence of Pristane and Probable Absence of Phytane

Max Blumer 1 and W. Dale Snyder 1

1 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) has been isolated from two recent marine sediments. Unlike their ancient counterparts, these sediments contain no detectable phytane. These two facts suggest a biochemical origin for at least a fraction of the sedimentary pristane and a later, geochemical formation of phytane. Commercial reagent-grade solvents (pentane, isooctane, methanol) contain appreciable quantities of fossil pristane and probably phytane.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Copepod Fecal Pellets as a Source of Dihydrophytol in Marine Sediments.
F. G. PRAHL, G. EGLINTON, E. D. S. CORNER, and S. C. M. O'HARA (1984)
Science 224, 1235-1237
   Abstract »    PDF »
Oil Pollution: Persistence and Degradation of Spilled Fuel Oil.
M. Blumer and J. Sass (1972)
Science 176, 1120-1122
   Abstract »    PDF »
Fatty Alcohols (Normal and Isoprenoid) in Sediments.
J. Sever, J. Sever, and P. L. Parker (1969)
Science 164, 1052-1054
   Abstract »    PDF »
Isoprenoid Acids in Recent Sediments.
M. Blumer and W. J. Cooper (1967)
Science 158, 1463-1464
   Abstract »    PDF »
Alga-Like Fossils from the Early Precambrian of South Africa.
J. W. Schopf, J. W. Schopf, and E. S. Barghoorn (1967)
Science 156, 508-512
   Abstract »    PDF »
Microorganisms Three Billion Years Old from the Precambrian of South Africa.
E. S. Barghoorn, E. S. Barghoorn, and J. W. Schopf (1966)
Science 152, 758-763
   Abstract »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)