SIMPLE DIFFUSE-REFLECTANCE UV-VIS SPECTROSCOPIC DETERMINATION OF ORGANIC PIGMENTS (FRINGELITES) IN FOSSILS

To screen for organic pigments, like fringelites or porphyrins, in sed iments and fossil specimen, a simple diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectr oscopic determination was developed. In contrast to common inorganic p igments, like Fe2O3, these pigments exhibit well-structured characteri stic absorption peaks which allow their recognition. This method was t hen used to identify fringelite H in a non-crinoid Solenopora species from the Jurassic. Reflectance FTIR spectroscopy proved not to be usef ul for this purpose.