SEDIMENTARY STEROLS AND STERYL CHLORIN ESTERS - DISTRIBUTION DIFFERENCES AND SIGNIFICANCE

The sterol distributions in the steryl chlorin esters (SCEs) from thre e marine and two lacustrine sediments have been compared with the free sterols and known water column sterol distributions. The comparison p rovides further evidence that the SCE sterol distributions are more re presentative of the original phytoplanktonic sterol distribution than are the free sterol distributions. This is most clearly seen in the re lative abundance of C-26 sterols and 4-methyl sterols, and in the stan ol/stenol ratios. It appears that in general the SCE sterols are less susceptible to selective biodegradation than the free sterols. (C) 199 8 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.