N. Ohkouchi et al., Sulfur isotope records around Livello Bonarelli (northern Apennines, Italy) black shale at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary, GEOLOGY, 27(6), 1999, pp. 535-538
Sulfur isotope ratios for carbonate-hosted sulfate show a rapid increase (6 parts per thousand to +9 parts per thousand/m.y.) across the Livello Bona
relli black shale (Marche-Umbrian Apennines of Italy), which was deposited
at the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary in the middle Cretaceous (93.5 hla). Th
e increase suggests that rates of pyrite burial increased substantially ove
r the event, resulting in a decrease of 9%-27% in the oceanic reservoir of
SO42-. The enhanced pyrite burial mag have significantly increased the flux
of oxygen to the atmosphere (9-27 x 10(18) mol/m.y.). Furthermore, removal
of the large amount of iron associated,vith this process might have had a
profound effect on iron cycle.