Organic Geochemistry of Terrigenous Muds and Various Shales from the Black Sea, DSDP Leg 42B

Abstract

The Black Sea is a sink for terrigenous detritus with rapid sediment accumulation, estimated at 16 km thickness in the central basin. Lipid markers of terrigenous origin have been identified in most sediment samples that were examined from Sites 379-381. The molecular indicators of terrigenous lipids were n-alkanes (n-Cis to n- C33, odd-to-even predominance, maximum mainly at n-C29), n-fatty acids (n-Cn to rt-öo, even-to-odd predominance, maximum at n-Ci* or n-dt.) and dehydroabietic acid. Steroidal and triterpenoidal compounds were also identified and they probably originated from primary marine or lacustrine production. Perylene was present in most of the samples and is probably associated with terrigenous lipids. The <513C values for the total lipid fractions were in the range typical of a higher plant and/or lacustrine origin.