Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Δ2-Sterenes as diagenetic intermediates in sediments

Nature volume 269, pages 678–679 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

A SMALL fraction of the sterols derived from living organisms is found intact or partially degraded in the geological environment. Seawater and many recent or relatively immature older sediments contain unaltered, or only slightly altered sterols1–8, whereas in older sediments and petroleum these compounds have usually been transformed by redox reactions into their saturated (steranes) or partially aromatised counterparts9–12. Due to the high stability of the steroid skeleton, products derived from steroids can be detected in consolidated sediments far into an advanced stage of maturation. We have examined 11 recent sediments and suggest here that the Δ2-sterenes which they contain are degradation intermediates of the precursor sterols.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gagosian, R. B. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 39, 1443–1454 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Saliot, A. & Barbier, M. Deep-Sea Res. 20, 1077–1082 (1973).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Attaway, D. & Parker, P. L. Science 169, 674–675 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ogura, K. & Hanya, T. Proc. Japan Acad. 49, 201–204 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Mattern, G., Albrecht, P. & Ourisson, G. Chem. Commun. 1570–1571 (1970).

  6. Wang, W. E. & Meinschein, W. G. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 40, 323–330 (1976).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nishimura, M. & Koyama, T. Chem. Geol. 17, 229–239 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nishimura, M. & Koyama, T. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 41, 379–385 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Henderson, W., Reed, W. E. & Steel, G. in Advances in Organic Geochemistry 1971 (eds von Gaertner. H. R. & Wehner, H.) 335–352 (Pergamon, Oxford, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Anderson, P. C., Gardner, P. M., Whitehead, E. V., Anders, D. E. & Robinson, W. E. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 33, 1304–1307 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hills, I. R., Smith, G. W. & Whitehead, E. V. J. Inst. Petrol. 56, 127–137 (1970).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rubinstein, I. & Albrecht, P. JCS Chem. Commun. 957–958 (1975).

  13. Albrecht, P. & Ourisson, G. Angew. Chem. 83, 221–238 (1971); Angew. Chem. Internatn. (ed.), 10, 209–225 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Steel, G., Reed, W. E. & Henderson, E. in Advances in Organic Geochemistry 1971 (eds von Gaertner. H. R. & Wehner. H.) 353–364 (Pergamon. Oxford. 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Ikan, R., Baedecker, M. J. & Kaplan, I. R. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 39, 195–203 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Cardoso, J. et al. in Environmental Biogeochemistry 1, 149–174 (ed. Nriagu. J. O.) (Science, Ann Arbor, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Flanagan, V. P. & Ferretti, A. Lipids 9, 471–475 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Budzikiewicz, H. in Biochemical Applications of Mass Spectrometry (ed. Waller. G. R.) 251 (Wiley, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gaskell, S. J. & Eglinton, G. Nature 254, 209–211 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gaskell, S. J. & Eglinton, G. Geochim. cosmochim. Acta 40, 1221–1228 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Rubinstein, I., Sieskind, O. & Albrecht, P. JCS Perkin I 1833–1836 (1975).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Chimie Organique des Substances Naturelles, Associé au C.N.R.S., Institut de Chimie, 1, rue Blaise Pascal, 67008, Strasbourg, France

    MICHEL DASTILLUNG & PIERRE ALBRECHT

Authors
  1. MICHEL DASTILLUNG
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. PIERRE ALBRECHT
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DASTILLUNG, M., ALBRECHT, P. Δ2-Sterenes as diagenetic intermediates in sediments. Nature 269, 678–679 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/269678b0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/269678b0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing