Mires and Peat

an online journal jointly published by imcg and ips

Volume 7 (2010 / 2011): Article 13

Procedures for extraction and purification of leaf wax biomarkers from peats.

by J.E. Nicholse

Published online: 31.12.2011

Summary

Palaeoecological and palaeoclimate reconstruction, using leaf wax biomarkers, is a relatively new subdiscipline of peatland science. The ability to process large numbers of samples rapidly for biomarkers makes this type of analysis particularly appealing. This review is a guide to the preparation of leaf waxes for analysis by gas chromatography. The main phases of preparation are extraction of soluble organic compounds from sediment, separation of the total extract into fractions of differing polarity, and the derivatisation of polar functional groups. The procedures described here are not meant be exhaustive of all organic geochemical possibilities in peatlands, but a distillation of methods for the preparation of leaf waxes that are commonly and increasingly being used in palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological studies.

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Citation

Nichols, J.E. (2011): Procedures for extraction and purification of leaf wax biomarkers from peats . Mires and Peat 7: Art. 13. (Online: http://www.mires-and-peat.net/map07/map_07_13.htm)

Reviewers

IMCG and IPS acknowledge the work of the reviewers. 

Last update: 31.12.2011		www.mires-and-peat.net
Key title: Mires and Peat	ISSN 1819-754X	Abbreviated key title: Mires Peat