Course code:
575H2		 Course name:
Biomarkers in Reconstruction of Geological Evolution

Academic year:

2024/2025.

Attendance requirements:

There are no requirements.

ECTS:

10

Study level:

doctoral academic studies

Study programs:

Chemistry: 1. year, winter semester, elective (E72H2) course

Chemistry: 1. year, winter semester, elective (E71H2) course

Chemistry: 2. year, winter semester, elective (E73H2) course

Chemistry: 2. year, winter semester, elective (E74H2) course

Teacher:

Ksenija A. Stojanoviæ, Ph.D.
full professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Assistants:

—

Hours of instruction:

Weekly: five hours of lectures + three hours of study research work

Goals:

To acquire wider knowledge about biomarkers, their origin, changes in the geosphere, methods of identification and their application in the interpretation of origin, depositional paleoenvironment, age, potential and maturity of organic matter of recent sediments and fossil fuels.

Outcome:

Within this course, the student acquires detailed knowledge of the origin, changes in the geosphere and the methods of identification of biomarkers. The student has developed ability to independently reconstruct the geological evolution of recent sediments and fossil fuels.

Teaching methods:

Lectures, Study and Research.

Extracurricular activities:

—

Coursebooks:
  • K. E. Peters, C. C. Walters, J. M. Moldowan: The Biomarker Guide, Cambridge University Press, 2005, Cambridge, UK, ISBN 978-0-521-83762-0 (relevant chapters).
  • K. Stojanović: Course Material, 2012.

Additional material:

—

  Course activities and grading method

Lectures:

25 points (5 hours a week)

Syllabus:

  • Rock Eval pyrolysis.
  • Maceral composition.
  • Huminite/vitrinite reflectance.
  • Identification of biomarkers.
  • n-Alkanes and n-alkanones.
  • Isoprenoid compounds.
  • β-Carotene, isorenieratene, chlorobactane and products of their transformations in the geosphere.
  • Conventional (traditional) steroid biomarkers, short-chain steroids and methylated steroids.
  • Conventional (traditional) hopanids, novel series of hopanoids (28-nor-, methylated, hopanoids with C-ring having 7 carbon atoms, early eluted hopanoids, isohopanoids).
  • Tricyclic terpanes (cheilanthanes), tetracyclic polyprenoids.
  • Biomarkers with abietane, pimarane and phyllocladane skeleton.
  • Biomarkers derived from angiosperm amyrins.
  • Aromatic hydrocarbons (arylisoprenoids, derivatives of naphthalene, phenanthrene, dibenzothiophene, dibenzofuran, pyrene, chrysene and picene, aromatic steroids and hopanoids).
  • Integrated interpretation of marine environments.
  • Integrated interpretation of terrestrial environments.
  • Integrated interpretation of lacustrine environments.
  • Integrated interpretation of paleoredox conditions.
  • Integrated interpretation of hypersaline environments.
  • Integrated interpretation of lithology (carbonates vs. shales).
  • Integrated interpretation of geological age.
  • Integrated interpretation of generation potential and maturity of organic matter.

Oral exam:

50 points

Study research work:

25 points (3 hours a week)