Origin and environmental significance of organic deposits in aquatic sediments

The nutrient status and the lipids from a series of sediment samples taken from various aquaculture productive systems, have been characterized. Noticeable differences were found in the concentration of the lipid extracts although their composition were very similar as analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The most abundant components identified include series of linear and branched alkanes, fatty acids and alcohols, as well as unsaturated fatty acids, phytol, and in minor amounts some omega-hydroxyacids and sterols. Terrigenous plant material, phytoplankton and bacteria were found to be the probable sources of the isolated lipids.