Identification of long chain isoprenoid hydrocarbons from pyrolytic product of Dunaliella

In the pyrolytic research on Dunaliella salina cultured under natural condi tions, abundant long chain regular isoprenoid hydrocarbons have been first detected and identified from algal pyrolytic product. Specially, the discov ery of high abundant 2,6, 10, 14, 18-pentamethyleicosane indicated that reg ular iC(25) probably originated from specific holophilic algae in hypersali ne environments. The result gave new referable evidence both for the distin guishment of biological origins of long chain isoprenoids found in sediment s and petroleum and for the judgement of paleoenvironments.