FOSSIL WAXES IN PEAT AND LIGNITE - CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION AND GEOCHEMICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The wax fraction from peat and lignite deposits located very near in the miocenic Granada basin (Padul and Arenas del Rey) is composed by series of n-alkanes, n-fatty acids, branched and unsaturated fatty acids, alpha-w dicarboxylic acids, w-hydroxyacids, alkanols and methylketones. From the nature and distribution of such compounds it is infered the nature of the depositional organic matter. Differences in distribution patterns and relative amounts of homologous series allow to differentiate between the maturity degree of the samples.