Biomarker (petroleum)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biomarkers are any of a suite of chemical compounds (and physical and geochemical characteristics thereof) that may indicate biological involvement in the formation of petroleum. Abiogenic petroleum origin theory also accounts for the presence of biomarkers in naturally occurring oil deposits.

Biomarkers are complex organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and other elements which are found in oil, bitumen, rocks and sediments and show little or no change in structure from their parent organic molecules in living organisms. These compounds are typically analyzed using gas chromatography or mass spectrometry. Most of them are isopentenoids (5 carbons). Some examples of biomarkers are pristane, phytane, steranes, triterpanes and porphyrin.

"They are complex molecules derived from formerly living organisms." (Wang, Z.; Stout, S.; Fingas, M. Environmental Forensics, 2006 7, 105-146.