Possible sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons in sediments of Hooghly estuary, northeast coast of India

Abstract

Hydrocarbon content in sediments varied from 4.38 to 7.98 per cent of organic carbon. The chain lengths of hydrocarbons were from C₁₆ to C₃₈ carbon atoms with a strong predominance of even carbon number n-alkanes, especially in C₁₆–C₂₄ range. Instead of diagenetic reaction processes, the micro-organisms in the sedimentary environment probably play a vital role in the occurrence and distribution of such type of <i>n</i>-alkanes.