Pigments from Marine Muds

THE DISTRIBUTION OF LIGNIN DERIVATIVES IN FOSSIL PLANTS

Lignin derivatives have been obtained from a range of sub-fossil woods and fossil plant compressions by cupric oxide oxidation. Fossil woods yield essentially the same products as wood from living spermatophytes. Although some demethoxylation of the phenolic aldehydes occurs during fossilization, the overall difference between conifer and angiosperm wood is maintained. Compressions of varied plant organs yield recognizable phenolic aldehydes, though often in small amounts.

Genesis of Hydrocarbons of Low Molecular Weight in Organic-Rich Aquatic Systems

Mild heat treatment of water-wet marine muds resulted in the genesis of three aromatic hydrocarbons characteristic of crude oils, but which are seldom found in significant quantities in recent sediments. Whereas part of the toluene and xylenes may have stemmed from carotenoid pigments, the source of the benzene as well as the larger amount of the toluene and xylene is as yet unknown.