Linking diagenetic alteration of amino acids and bulk organic matter reactivity

Examination of amino acids in particulate samples from a variety of marine environments (fresh phytoplankton to deep-sea sediments) revealed systemati c compositional changes upon progressive degradation. These consistent tren ds have been used to derive a quantitative degradation index (DI) that is d irectly related to the reactivity of the organic material, as indicated by its lability to enzymatic decay and its first-order degradation rate consta nt. This direct link between molecular composition and degradation rate all ows us to quantify the quality of organic matter based solely on its chemic al composition.