Aromatic carotenoids and their aryl isoprenoid derivatives in the early Paleozoic rocks and crude oils of the Tarim Basin, China

Abstract

Emerging viewpoints suggest dynamic oceanic redox states and notable biotic turnovers in the early Paleozoic, but these aspects remain controversial and require further investigation. The Tarim Basin, which harbors significant marine hydrocarbon source rocks, records a typical phase of marine deposition of the early Paleozoic. In this study, we investigated biomarker compositions and patterns of selected rocks and crude oils of Early Cambrian to Late Ordovician ages from the Tarim Basin, China. Of particular importance are fossilized C₄₀ aromatic carotenoids and their biogenic aryl isoprenoid derivatives, which originate specifically from phototrophic sulfur bacteria inhabiting the euxinic photic zone and are indicative of redox conditions of ancient oceans. The prevalence of 2,3,6-aryl isoprenoids and isorenieratane indicates a biological origin of green sulfur bacteria, implying that the Tarim Basin witnessed euxinia in the subsurface photic zone during a certain period of the early Paleozoic. Along with other biomarker-based proxies, especially steroids and hopanoids, our results from the Tarim Basin suggest the dominance of reducing oceanic water column in the early Cambrian and the late evolution of partially oxygenated water column.