New insight on the origin of organic compounds in fluids from ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems

• Hydrocarbons gases (C1-C4) as well as larger organic compounds were reported elsewhere in fluids from the Rainbow and the Lost City ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal fields. Whereas hydrocarbon gases are likely abiogenic (Fischer-Tropsch Type reaction), the origin of larger molecules remains unclear. Our ability to differentiate between biotic and abiotic sources of organic compounds in deep-sea hydrothermal systems may give clues to the understanding of organic geochemistry on the early Earth. Here, we report a series of experiments of hydrothermal degradation (40 MPa / 200, 350 and 450°C) of the piezophile archaea Pyrococcus abyssi biomass, which provides supporting lines of evidence of the abiogenic origin of saturated hydrocarbons as well as of the possible biogenic origin of alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) and C12:0-C16:0 fatty acids in fluids from ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Annan biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Other Biological Topics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Deep subsurface biosphere

hydrothermal

organic compounds

degradation

Other earth sciences

Övrig geovetenskap

Other biology

Övrig biologi

geokemi

Geochemistry

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)