Application of biomarker compounds as tracers for sources and fates of natural and anthropogenic organic matter in the environment

Determination of the source and fate of natural (higher plant lipids, marine lipids, etc.) and anthropogenically (e.g., petroleum, coal emissions) derived hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds in the environment was accomplished using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to characterize or identify molecular biomarkers to be utilized as tracers. The distributions and abundances of biomarkers such as straight chain homologous series (e.g., n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids, n-alkan-2-ones, n-alkanols, etc.) and cyclic terpenoid compounds (e.g., sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, steroids, triterpenoids) were identified in epicuticular waxes from conifers of western North America (natural emissions). These biomarkers and their thermal alteration derivatives were also identified in smoke emissions from known vegetation sources (e.g., conifers, deciduous trees and grasses) and were then applied as tracers in soils, soils that contained wildfire residues and soil/river mud washout after wildfire burning. Where possible, the reaction pathways of transformation from the parent precursor compounds to intermediate and final alteration products were determined from GC-MS data. In addition, molecular tram analysis was applied to air, water and sediment samples collected from a lacustrine setting (Crater Lake, OR) in order to determine the identities, levels and fates of anthropogenic (i.e., petroleum hydrocarbon contamination from boating and related activities) hydrocarbons in a pristine organic matter sink. This work demonstrated that biomarker tracer analysis is a useful tool for developing environmental management and pollution mitigation strategies.