title: An analysis of organic matter sources for surface sediments in the central South Yellow Sea, China: evidence based on macroelements and n-alkanes.
abstract: By analyzing the composition of n-alkane and macroelements in the surface sediments of the central South Yellow Sea of China, we evaluated the influencing factors on the distribution of organic matter. The analysis indicates that the distribution of total organic carbon (TOC) was low in the west and high in the east, and TOC was more related to Al2O3 content than medium diameter (MD). The composition of n-alkanes indicated the organic matter was mainly derived from terrestrial higher plants. Contributions from herbaceous plants and woody plants were comparable. The comprehensive analysis of the parameters of macroelements and n-alkanes showed the terrestrial organic matter in the central South Yellow Sea was mainly from the input of the modern Yellow River and old Yellow River. However, some samples exhibited evident input characteristics from petroleum sources, which changed the original n-alkanes of organic matter in sediments.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources, Gansu Province/Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources Research, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China.
authors.forename: Shengyin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China. Electronic address: lishuanglin5335@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shuanglin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Heping
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Marine Hydrocarbon Resources and Environmental Geology, Ministry of Land and Resources, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China; Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, Qingdao 266071, China.
authors.forename: Qingfang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources, Gansu Province/Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources Research, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Xinchuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources, Gansu Province/Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources Research, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
authors.forename: Ji'an
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis; D045483:Rivers; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D010578:Petroleum; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Macroelements; Organic matter; South Yellow Sea; Surface sediment; n-Alkanes