IDENTIFICATION AND OCCURRENCE OF DIHYDRO-AR-CURCUMENE IN CRUDE OILS AND SEDIMENTS

A suite of crude oils and sediments with a range of locations, source types, palaeoenvironments and ages has been analysed for dihydro-ar-cu rcumene. The concentrations of dihydro-ar-curcumene in 16 crude oils a nd sediments ranged from 45 to 700 mu g/g. Dihydro-ar-curcumene in sed iments is suggested to be derived from sesquiterpenoids of the bisabol ane skeletal type. The widespread occurrence of this type of sesquiter penoid in terrestrial plants, and the association of this compound wit h biomarkers of higher plant origin in sediments, suggests that dihydr o-ar-curcumene in sediments is derived primarily from higher plants.