P. Schaeffer et al., POLAR CONSTITUENTS OF ORGANIC-MATTER RICH MARLS FROM EVAPORITIC SERIES OF THE MULHOUSE BASIN, Organic geochemistry, 20(8), 1993, pp. 1227-1236
A suite of marl samples from the evaporitic series of the Mulhouse bas
in (France; Lower Oligocene) was studied for its biomarker content, in
particular its polar constituents. Novel series of 3-carboxyalkyl ste
ranes and 15-oxo triaromatic ketones were identified by synthesis. The
3-carboxyalkyl steranes probably originate from highly polar precurso
rs yet unreported in living organisms. Our data suggest that micro-alg
ae could be the major source of these compounds which seem to be indic
ators of high algal input rather than characteristic of evaporitic env
ironments. The 15-oxo triaromatic ketones could be oxidation products
of triaromatic steroid hydrocarbons formed during diagenesis, although
their formation during work-up procedure could not be excluded.