Distribution of hydrocarbon biomarkers with depth in marine sediments in the area of the linear depression of the West Kara stage

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Abstract

Studies of molecular and hydrocarbon composition in marine sediments provide important information on sedimentary organic matter (OM). In this work, the distribution of hydrocarbons and molecular markers along the depth of the sedimentary cover in the region of the linear depression of the West Kara stage was studied. For this, two sediment columns were sampled during the 89th cruise of the R/V “Akademik Mstislav Keldysh”: at station 7444 and at background station 7441. The distribution of n-alkanes was measured by GC-MS analysis and the peculiarities of distribution of the sediment OM in marine sediments of biomarker indices with sediment depth were determined. It was shown that higher terrestrial vegetation was the dominant source to the sediment OM of marine sediments at stations 7444 and 7441. The OM had low maturity as shown by the values of the Ts/(Ts+Tm) ratio. According to the values of H31–S/H31–(S+R) and NAR indices, a small constant inflow of petrogenic hydrocarbons was observed in the study area, while at the background station 7441 the inflow was much less. Based on the distribution of CPI25–33, TAR and NAR indices, the presence of hydrocarbons of anthropogenic origin in the near-surface layers of 0–15 cm sediment at the background station 7441 was assumed.

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About the authors

V. S. Sevastyanov

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

V. S. Fedulov

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

V. Yu. Fedulova

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

R. H. Dzhenloda

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

N. V. Dushenko

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

S. A. Voropaev

Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: fedulov.vs@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Kosygin Str., 19, Moscow, 119991

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2. Fig. 1. Map of the location of marine sediment sampling stations of the 89th cruise of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh in 2022.

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3. Fig. 2. Average vertical distribution of n-alkanes in the hexane fraction of OM of marine sediments.

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4. Fig. 3. Typical mass fragmentogram of the terpane series (m/z 191) in the OM of marine sediment (using the 545–549 cm horizon of station 7444 as an example).

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5. Fig. 4. Typical mass fragmentogram of the sterane series (m/z 217) in the OM of marine sediment (using the 545–549 cm horizon of station 7444 as an example).

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6. Fig. 5. Vertical profile of biomarker indices that have a common nature in depth distribution.

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7. Fig. 6. Vertical profile of biomarker indices with different distribution patterns across depth.

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8. Fig. 7. Graph of the dependence of Pr/n-C17 on Ph/n-C18 for determining the facies conditions of sedimentogenesis and oxidation-reduction conditions of early diagenesis of organic matter.

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