Aliphatic biomarkers and their signal from two hydrogeochemically differing sedimentary environments of the Tertiary Krepoljin Coal Basin (Serbia)

Abstract

The sediments of the coal-bearing series of the Tertiary Krepoljin Brown Coal Basin have been investigated and presented in this manuscript. The samples of the intercalated mixed sediments (pieces of coal in clays, sandstones and shales) originate from two hydrogeochemically differing sedimentary environments: the illite-montmorillonitic (IM), and the calcitic (Ct) environment. The characteristics of the early diagenetic processes which influenced the composition of the organic matter of this sediment were assessed by the statistical correlation analysis and multivariate principal component analysis. The precursor material of higher plants gymnosperms had a significant influence on the overall organic matter of mixed sediments in both hydrochemical environments. A weak effect of N/C ratios on the specific diagenetic transformations of hopanoid molecules is noticed in the samples of the calcite environment. Sterane maturation transformations are not marked as significant for the samples of mixed sediments by the component analysis. The samples of I-M environments show a strong inhibitory effect on the processes of diastereoisomerization.