Abstract
Analysis of the solvent insoluble residue of a cyanobacterium (Oscillatoria sp.) subjected to simulated diagenesis under hydrothermal conditions (350 and 260 °C and hydrostatic pressure of 700 atmospheres) affords a macromolecule with significant aliphatic content that is similar to that found in hydrogen rich kerogen. The aliphatic component is primarily derived from incorporation of the original fatty acids into a solvent insoluble polymer, as demonstrated by performing similar experiments with model lipid compounds. Bacterial biomass can, therefore, contribute significantly to the insoluble organic inventory in ancient sediments.
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Gupta, N.S. (2014). Molecular Transformation of Bacteria at High P-T Conditions. In: Biopolymers. Topics in Geobiology, vol 38. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7936-5_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7936-5_10
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