Abstract
THE increase in sulphur content of organic matter with depth in Recent sediments has been attributed to incorporation of either H2S (ref. 1) or polysulphides2,3 or to a combination of both4,5. Indeed, the widespread occurrence of organic sulphur compounds6–12 with carbon skeletons that bear an unambiguous link with natural precursors indicates that organic matter may act as a sink for inorganic sulphur species with an efficacy second only to reactive iron minerals13. Laboratory and field observations14–18 indicate that all compounds identified so far are consistent with incorporation of H2S; molecular evidence for incorporation of polysulphides has previously been lacking. Here we report the identification of homologous series of cyclic disulphides with a linear carbon skeleton and of a cyclic di- and trisulphide with a C20 isoprenoid carbon skeleton in sediments of Quaternary to Pliocene age. Although incorporation of H2S can still explain the presence of cyclic disulphides, the cyclic trisulphide implies incorporation of inorganic polysulphides in sedimentary organic matter at the earliest stages of diagenesis.
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Kohnen, M., Damsté, J., ten Haven, H. et al. Early incorporation of polysulphides in sedimentary organic matter. Nature 341, 640–641 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/341640a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/341640a0
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