Fossil Fuel Biomarkers in Sewage Sludges: Environmental Significance |
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Authors: | C Payet C Bryselbout J-L Morel E Lichtfouse |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, INRA-ENSAIA/INPL, BP 172, F-54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France, FR |
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Abstract: | Fossil fuel biomarkers, or "molecular fossils," are specific organic substances found in coals, petroleums, and sedimentary
rocks. They are formed during millions of years of sedimentary burial by geochemical alteration of biological molecules, such
as cholesterol, under the effect of biodegradation, temperature, pressure, and mineral catalysis, to produce geochemically
mature molecules, for example, aromatic steroids (Fig. 1). Since fossil fuel biomarkers have a very specific molecular structure
betraying fossil fuel sources, such markers should be useful in assessing the fossil fuel contamination of various modern
media such as soils, plants, waters, and modern sediments. Here the identification of fossil fuel biomarkers of high geothermal
maturity in sewage sludges provides evidence of the contamination of sludges by petroleum products. The most likely sources
of contamination are contaminated vegetal food, road dust, and soil particles carried by rain water.
Received: 18 January 1999 / Accepted in revised form: 19 May 1999 |
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