Next Article in Journal
Faulted-Pole Discrimination in Shipboard DC Microgrids Using S-Transformation and Convolutional Neural Networks
Previous Article in Journal
Identifying Sustainable Offshore Wind Farm Sites in Greece Under Climate Change
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
JMSE
Volume 13
Issue 8
10.3390/jmse13081511
jmse-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

The Geochemical Characteristics of the Fatty Acids in the Core Sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea

by
Jinxian He
1,2,*,
Xiaoli Zhang
1,2,
Ruihua Ma
1,2,
Zhengxin Huang
1,2,
Juhao Li
1,2,
Peilin Sun
1,2 and
Jiayao Song
1,2
1
Key Laboratory of Coalbed Methane Resource and Reservoir Formation Process, Ministry of Education (China University of Mining and Technology), Xuzhou 221116, China
2
School of Resources and Geoscience, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(8), 1511; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081511
Submission received: 25 March 2025 / Revised: 27 July 2025 / Accepted: 29 July 2025 / Published: 5 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Geological Oceanography)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

The geochemistry of the fatty acids in the modern sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea is still poorly studied, and studies on the geochemistry of the fatty acids in relatively long-core sediment samples are lacking. Thus, the fatty acids in the core sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea were separated and identified to study their components and distribution characteristics, and the sources of organic matter and the early diagenetic evolution of the fatty acids in the sediments were discussed. The results show that saturated straight-chain fatty acids (methyl ester) have the highest content in the core sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea, which account for 83.89% of the total fatty acids (methyl ester). nC16:0 is dominant, accounting for 30.48% of the n-saturated fatty acids (methyl ester). Unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) account for 7.59% of the total fatty acids (methyl ester). Binary unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) can only be detected in some samples, which are low in content and dominated by C18:2. Based on the components and distribution of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea, combined with the characteristics of other lipid biomarker compounds, the actual geological background, and previous research results, it is considered that the sources of organic matter in the core sediments are marine–terrestrial mixed materials, with terrestrial materials dominating. The fatty acids’ (methyl ester) CPI, the relative content of short-chain saturated fatty acids (methyl ester), and the unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediments show non-obvious variation as the burial depth increases, reflecting that the fatty acids in the core sediments are strongly degraded at the early diagenetic stage, and this degradation is controlled by various complicated factors.

1. Introduction

The study of geochemical characteristics is of great significance for understanding the operational mechanisms of the Earth’s system, resource exploration, and environmental assessments. Modern sediments are rich in fatty acid compounds. The components and distribution of fatty acid compounds are related to the parent source properties, sedimentary environment, and diagenetic evolution [1,2,3], and fatty acids are sensitive indicators of changes in the marine environment. Thus, information about the sources of organic matter and diagenetic evolution can be made available by studying the components and distribution of modern sediments. Changes in fatty acid content are associated with marine environmental factors, such as temperature, salinity, and nutrient concentrations, providing clues for studying marine climate change, marine pollution, and other environmental issues. The geochemistry of fatty acids in modern marine sediments has attracted much attention for a long time.
Foreign scholars have extensively studied the components and distribution of the fatty acids in lakes, peatlands, and marine sediments, which have been sampled from the coast, the intertidal zone, the ocean, and the deep sea, as well as their geochemical significance, by studying the sources of organic matter and environmental factors. Research commonly employs gas chromatography (GC) or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques to analyze the distribution characteristics of fatty acids, in conjunction with other geochemical indicators (such as the isotope composition and sediment chemical characteristics), to elucidate their sources and environmental significance. It is suggested that short-chain fatty acids (e.g., C14–C18) may originate from aquatic organisms [4,5,6,7], while long-chain fatty acids (e.g., C24–C30) are associated with terrestrial plant inputs [8,9,10,11].
Chinese scholars have studied the distribution of fatty acids in the modern marine sediments that are sampled in the East China Sea and the South China Sea [12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20]. Straight-chain saturated (n-alkanoic) fatty acid distributions from C12 to C32; branched alkanoic acids, mainly distributions from C12 to C19; and C18 mono-, di-, and tri-unsaturated components are the most abundant alkanoic acids in unsaturated acids. Many results have been achieved in systematically studying the organic geochemistry of the marine sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea [21,22,23,24,25]. However, the geochemistry of the fatty acids in the modern sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea is still poorly studied, and research on the geochemistry of the fatty acids in relatively long-core sediment samples is lacking.
In this paper, the geochemical characteristics of the fatty acids in a core sediment sample with a total length of 250 cm were studied, and the sources of organic matter and diagenetic evolution were discussed. This sample was collected from the Northern South Yellow Sea.

2. Methods

The core sediment samples were collected in the Northern South Yellow Sea, and the chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the fatty acids was completed in a GC-MSD (6890/5975) chromatography–mass spectrometry detector produced by Agilent Technologies Inc. (Santa Clara, CA, USA).

2.1. Geological Sampling

The core sediment samples, consisting of gray ooze, were collected in August 2013 (Figure 1) in the Northern South Yellow Sea at E 122°6′27″, N 36°16′15″, at a water depth of 40 m, and with a total length of 250 cm. The samples were placed at a low temperature of −20 °C, for organic analysis.
A gravity column (Figure 2) was used to collect these core sediment samples. It is approximately 300 cm in length, with a sampling tube of about a 60 mm inner diameter. The lined PVC pipes had about a 3 mm wall thickness and an approximately 54 mm inner diameter. The PVC pipes containing sediment were refrigerated in a ship for low-temperature preservation before being brought back to the laboratory. When they were taken back to the laboratory, the PVC pipes were sawed off to obtain the samples. A 10 cm segment was considered a sample, and 25 samples were obtained in total. Each sample weighed approximately 400 g to 500 g due to the varying composition and density of sediments at different depths. The geological time of foraminifer showed that the core sediments were deposited 3952 years ago [21].

2.2. Sample Preparation Experiments

When a sediment sample was wet, larger particles such as gravel and rocks were manually removed. After freeze-drying the sediment sample and pulverizing it into a powder, the sample was sieved using an 80-mesh sieve. This removed more gravel, rocks, and debris to obtain a powdered sample with a particle size of less than 80 mesh. The extracts were separated using a mixture of dichloromethane and methyl alcohol (2:1) through the Soxhlet extraction method at 50 °C for 72 h and saponified with 16% potassium hydroxide–methanol solution. Neutral components were extracted using n-hexane. The upper liquids were neutral components. After the pH was adjusted to <2 with HCL, the lower liquids were injected into the silica gel chromatography column to extract the acidic components with n-hexane. A 10% BF3–methanol solution was then added to the acidic components to conduct methyl esterification under heating for 3 h at a temperature of 90 °C under the protection of N2. The fatty acid methyl ester was extracted using dichloromethane and purified on a silica gel column for the chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis [4,8].

2.3. The Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis

A GC-MSD (6890/5975) chromatography–mass spectrometry detector (made by Agilent) was used to complete the chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis with a full scan (Scan). The chromatographic column was a DB-5MS capillary column (with a length of 30 m, an inner diameter of 0.25 mm, and a coating thickness of 0.25 μm; J&W Scientific). The carrier gas was high-purity helium (He), with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The sample volume was 1 μL in a mode of un-split stream sampling, and the injection port temperature was 280 °C. The detector was run at a temperature of 300 °C. In the heating program, the initial temperature was set to 60 °C for 1 min and raised to 300 °C at 5 °C/min for 1 min; the temperature of the ion source was set to 250 °C and the ionization energy to 70 eV. The relative standard deviation was <±10%. The compounds were identified based on a comprehensive analysis of the retention time for a standard sample, published data, the mass spectrum diagram and a standard map depot of standard materials (NIST2005), and characteristic ions (m/z 74) (Figure 3).

2.4. Quality Assurance/Quality Control

A mixture consisting of five deuterated PAHs (naphthalene-d8, acenaphthene-d10, phenan-threne-d10, chrysene-d12, and perylene-d12) was used as a recovery standard to monitor matrix effects and the procedural performance. The recovery of the experiment was determined to be 91.5 ± 10%. In addition, blank and spiked blank experiments served as a control. In the blank experiment, there was no significant (<5%) interference from the target compound.

3. Results

The results of the analysis of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples are presented in Figure 3 and Figure 4 and Table 1. The mass spectrum shows that the base peaks of mono n-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester), mono normal i-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester), and mono trans i-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester) are m/z74 and the base peaks of mono normal i-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester) and mono trans i-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester) are m/z55 (Figure 4). Meanwhile, the i-fatty acid (methyl ester) with the same carbon numbers as n-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester) elutes first. Fatty acids (methyl ester) with the same carbon numbers elute in the following order: normal i-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester), trans i-saturated fatty acid, normal i-unsaturated fatty acid (methyl ester), trans i-unsaturated fatty acid, and n-saturated fatty acid (methyl ester) (Figure 3).
The content of saturated straight-chain fatty acids (methyl ester) is the highest in the core sediment samples, accounting for 80.62–89.61% (with an average of 83.89%) of the total fatty acids (methyl ester). nC16:0 takes dominance, accounting for 25.72–35.65% (with an average of 30.48%) of the n-saturated fatty acids (methyl ester). The unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) make up 2.77–12.07% (with an average of 7.59%) of the total fatty acids (methyl ester) (Table 1). However, poly unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) are only detected in the partial samples, mainly C18:2, with a low content (Figure 5).
In this study, fatty acids are designated using a unified labeling system. For example, nC17:0 represents a straight-chain (normal) compound, iC17:0 indicates an iso-branched compound, aC17:0 denotes an anteiso-branched compound, and iC17:1 signifies an iso-branched compound with one double bond. The prefix (n, i, a) specifies the chain structure type, the numerical value before the colon indicates the total number of carbon atoms, and the number after the colon represents the quantity of the double bonds present in the molecule.
The data listed in Table 1 show that the carbon number of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the samples ranges from nC8:0 to nC30:0, showing a monomorphic distribution, with the main peak carbon number being C16. All samples are dominated by fatty acids with a low carbon number (methyl ester). The value of ∑nC20:0−/∑nC20:0+ ranges from 4.43 to 10.96, with an average of 7.07. The fatty acids (methyl ester) are dominated by even carbon numbers. The CPI ranges from 2.80 to 4.45, with an average of 3.54 (Table 1). The n-saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) with carbon numbers higher than nC20:0 are relatively dominated by even carbon numbers.
Moreover, four (methyl ester) compounds of n-saturated fatty acids with carbon numbers lower than nC12:0 were detected in the core sediment samples and were identified as nC8:0–nC11:0 saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) based on their mass spectra (Figure 6). It is extensively reported that saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in marine modern sediments are dominated by fatty acids (methyl ester) with carbon numbers higher than nC12:0 [13,16]. However, fatty acids (methyl ester) with carbon numbers lower than nC12:0 are rarely reported [12,26,27]. Among the 25 samples in this study, nC8:0 was detected in 9 samples, nC9:0 detected in 14 samples, nC10:0 detected in 17 samples, nC11:0 detected in 23 samples, and nC12:0–nC11:0 saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) detected in all 25 samples. In general, nC8:0–nC11:0 saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) are low in content, accounting for 0–6.15% of the total fatty acids (methyl ester), with an average of 2% (Table 1).

4. Discussion

Based on the results discussed above, the source of sedimentary organic matter and the diagenetic evolution of the fatty acids will now be discussed in detail.

4.1. The Source of Sedimentary Organic Matter

nC8:0–nC11:0 saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in marine surface sediments may possibly originate from marine surface sediments due to the abundance of bacterial organic matter on the marine surface [12,28]. In this study, nC8:0–nC11:0 saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediments accounted for 0–6.15% of the total fatty acids (methyl ester), with an average of 2% (Table 1).
Generally, it is believed that nC12:0–nC20:0 short-chain fatty acids with a high content originate from plankton and bacterial organic matter [29]. However, Matsuda et al. [30,31] found that the carbon number of saturated fatty acids in plankton ranged from nC14:0 to nC20:0, with the main peak being nC16:0, after studying the distribution of the fatty acids in aquatic phytoplankton and zooplankton. Erwin [32] suggested that nC12:0–nC20:0 fatty acids may possibly originate from bacteria. After studying the fatty acids in Antarctic marine sediments, Venkatesan [33] found that the saturated fatty acids were dominated by fatty acids with low carbon numbers, with the ∑nC20:0−/∑nC20:0+ value being 4.4–10.2, even–odd carbon numbers taking dominance, and the CPI being 6.6–8.4, mainly derived from indigenous marine organic matter. After studying the fatty acids in the marine sediments from the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, Aluana et al. [34] analyzed fatty acid originating from the core of the soda lake in Pantanal, Brazil, where the organic matters in the upper part of the core were mainly from aquatic sources such as algae, bacteria, and phytoplankton. The deeper part of the core showed contributions from allogeneic sources. Duan et al. [12] found a ∑nC20:0−/∑nC20:0+ value that was very high, ranging from 4.0 to 19.0, and the organic matter mainly originated from plankton and bacteria. Wang et al. [35] studied the distribution of ortho fatty acids in the columnar sediments of the B3C and C7 stations in the southwest sub-basin of the South China Sea. N-C16 and n-C18 were the major sediments, mainly from plankton, algae, bacteria, etc., and mainly from marine sources. Terrestrial higher plants also contributed, and the content was relatively stable in the vertical direction. The ∑nC20:0−/∑nC20:0+ value can be used to indicate the sources of organic matter input. In this study, the saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in core sediments had the highest content of nC12:0–nC20:0, taking up 77.81–90.64%, with an average of 85.03%. The ∑nC20:0−/∑nC20:0+ value was high, ranging from 4.43 to 10.96, with an average of 7.07 (Figure 3 and Table 1). In contrast with previous results, the results in this paper showed that the nC12:0–nC20:0 fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediments originated from marine plankton and bacteria.
Both iC14:0 and iC15:0 saturated i-fatty acids (methyl ester) are present in the core sediments (Figure 3 and Figure 4) and are widespread in bacterial bodies [12,36,37,38]. Walkman et al. [39] found that iC14:0 and iC15:0 fatty acids were present in heterotrophic bacteria but not in green algae. However, diatoms contained minor iC15:0 fatty acids but no iC14:0 fatty acids. Duan et al. [12] believed that the iC14:0 and iC15:0 fatty acids in marine sediments originated from bacterial organic matter since iC14:0 and iC15:0 fatty acids were detected in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Thus, in this paper, it is also considered that both iC14:0 and iC15:0 saturated i-fatty acids (methyl ester) are present in the core sediments and come from bacterial organic matter.
It is generally believed that unsaturated fatty acids of C16:1Δ9 and C18:1Δ11 are derived from bacteria [1,2,37]. After studying the distribution of C16:1Δ9 and C18:1Δ11 fatty acids in Okinawa Trough, Jiang Shanchun et al. [15] believed C16:1Δ9 and C18:1Δ11 fatty acids to be markers of bacteria. In this study, C16:1Δ9 and C18:1Δ11 unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) were widely detected in the samples (Figure 5a,b), indicating that bacterial organic matter had been imported into the core sediments. Some scholars believe that C18:2 fatty acid originates from diatoms [40]. In this study, a low content of C18:2 was detected in the samples (Figure 5c,d), so diatoms are believed to contribute to fatty acids.
Higher plants are rich in nC22:0–nC34:0 long-chain saturated fatty acids; thus, long-chain saturated fatty acids in sediments indicate the import of organic matters from terrigenous higher plants [29,30,31]. After studying the distribution of the fatty acids in modern sediments in freshwater lakes, Matsuda and Koyama [30] suggested that fatty acids with carbon numbers higher than nC22:0 originate from organic matter that comes from terrigenous higher plants. The same conclusions were also made when Heras et al. [29] studied the distribution of the fatty acids in the sediments of Miocene freshwater lake in Cerdanya Basin.
The long-chain saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) detected in the core sediments are nC21:0–nC30:0, ranging from 8.36 to 18.42% in content, with an average of 12.97%. The higher content of long-chain saturated fatty acid indicates that organic matter from terrigenous higher plants occupies a large proportion in the core sediments.
The South Yellow Sea is a typical semi-enclosed continental shelf marginal sea. Since the Holocene, a large amount of terrigenous material has been transported by river flows and has entered into the South Yellow Sea [21,24,41,42,43]. Affected by the runoff of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, warm current, alongshore current, and the tidal action of the South Yellow Sea, the sources of organic matter in the South Yellow Sea are diverse [44,45]. Meanwhile, since the samples in this study were collected at a shallow water depth (40 m) and near the coastline, most of the terrigenous materials are consistent with the geological background and the actual sedimentary environment. It is important to note that multiple parameters of the fatty acids indicate that this organic matter may possibly and mainly come from plankton and bacteria. However, it is not solely indicated that the organic matter from the core sediments comes from plankton and bacteria. Based on various parameters of n-alkanes, combined with the actual geological background and previous study results, the organic matter sources in the core sediments are identified. The results show that the organic matter in the core sediments is imported from marine–terrestrial mixed sources, with terrestrial sources taking dominance [21]. The conclusion made is scientific and reasonable and consistent with the actual geological conditions. Thus, based on the distribution characteristics of n-alkanes, the actual geological background, and previous study results, the conclusion is made that the organic matter in the core sediments is imported from marine–terrestrial mixed sources, with terrestrial sources taking dominance.
There are some deviations in the implications of the parameters of the fatty acids and n-alkanes for the source of organic matter, as multiple complicated factors have caused relatively strong degradation in the fatty acids at the early diagenetic sage. The distribution of fatty acids is influenced by many factors, such as flocculation resulting from the mixing of terrestrial freshwater and seawater [46], the variation in seawater’s salinity [47], changes in the sedimentary climate [48], different types of organic matter in the sediments with different grain sizes [49], an increase in the content of fatty acids with low carbon numbers resulting from strong microbiological degradation [13,50], and the oxidoreduction conditions of the sedimentary environment [49]. Therefore, in order to identify the sources of organic matter and make a reasonable conclusion, various parameters of biological marker compounds are also required in addition to the actual geological background and previous study results.

4.2. Diagenetic Evolution of Fatty Acids

The vertical distribution characteristics of the fatty acids (methyl esters) in the sediment core samples are shown in Figure 7, which also contains information on the diagenetic evolution of the fatty acids. The degree of diagenesis can be characterized by the carbon preference index (CPI) of the fatty acids [51,52,53]. The CPIA values decrease and approach 1 as the burial depth and age of the sediments increase [12].
However, the opposite conclusion has been made in studies on the variation in the fatty acid CPIA values in the sedimentary profile of a modern salt marsh [54], a modern lacustrine sedimentary profile [30,31], the sediment profile in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea [12], and the sediment profile in the Chukchi Sea and the Bering Sea [55]. The results show that fatty acid CPIA values do not change regularly as the burial depth of the sedimentary profile increases, which also occurs in this study (Figure 7a).
In addition, with an increasing burial depth, the content of LCFAs (long-chain fatty acids) increases slightly, while SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) decrease sharply. Generally speaking, the content of unsaturated fatty acids decreases with an increasing depth [56]. The diagenetic change in fatty acids in the sediment profile also indicates that the relative content of short-chain saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids decreases as the burial depth increases [12,30,57], e.g., in the sedimentary profile in Spratly Islands in the South China Sea [12]. The diagenetic evolution of fatty acids is related to chemical and biochemical stability, as short-chain saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids are unstable at the early diagenetic stage and prone to chemically and biochemically degrading [12,30,57]. Wang et al. [58] studied core sediments A and B in the southwest subbasin of the South China Sea and concluded that the presence of medium-chain n-alkanes (n-C14–20) in cores A and B was the result of a strong reduction environment during the deposition process, where odd-carbon n-fatty acids were degraded into even-carbon n-alkanes. However, the relative content of short-chain saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) and unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the samples did not show regular changes with burial depth (Figure 7b,c), reflecting the strong degradation of fatty acids in the core sediments at the early diagenetic stage, which was controlled by multiple complicated factors.
Branched fatty acids can be indicative of bacterial and other microbial inputs [18]. In surface sediments, iC15:0, aC15:0, iC17:0, and aC17:0 are commonly used as markers of bacterial input. The ratio of iso branched fatty acids to straight-chain fatty acids ((iC15:0 + aC15:0)/nC15:0, or (iC17:0 + aC17:0)/nC17:0) indicates the degree of sediment biodegradation. As shown in Figure 8, all of the samples underwent significant microbial degradation.

5. Conclusions

The fatty acids (methyl esters) in the samples showed a monomorphic distribution between nC8:0 and nC30:0, with C16 as the main peak carbon number. All samples were dominated by fatty acids with a low carbon number (methyl ester). The fatty acids (methyl ester) were dominated by an even carbon number. The n-saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) with carbon numbers higher than nC20:0 were relatively dominated by even carbon numbers. For the fatty acids in the core sediments in the northern South Yellow Sea, the content of saturated straight-chain fatty acids (methyl ester) was the highest, accounting for 80.62–89.61% (with an average of 83.89%) of the total fatty acids (methyl ester). nC16:0 took dominance, accounting for 25.72–35.65% (with an average of 30.48%) of the n-saturated fatty acids (methyl ester). The unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) accounted for 2.77–12.07% (with an average of 7.59%) of the total fatty acids (methyl ester). Binary unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) were detected only in some samples, mainly C18:2.
Based on the components and distribution of fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea, in combination with the characteristics of other lipid biomarker compounds, the actual geological background, and previous study results, it is considered that the organic matter in the core sediments originates from marine–terrestrial mixed materials, with terrestrial materials taking dominance. Neither the CPI of the fatty acids (methyl esters) nor the relative content of short-chain saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) and unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core showed regular changes with an increasing burial depth, reflecting the strong degradation of the fatty acids in the core sediments at the early diagenetic stage, which was controlled by multiple complicated factors.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization: J.H. and X.Z.; methodology: J.H.; software: R.M. and Z.H.; validation: J.L., P.S. and J.S.; resources: J.H.; data curation: X.Z.; writing—original draft preparation: J.H.; writing—review and editing: J.H.; visualization: X.Z.; supervision: R.M.; project administration: X.Z.; funding acquisition: J.H. and X.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China, grant number 2021YFC2902003, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant number 41702170. The APC was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant number 41702170.

Data Availability Statement

The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article; further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

The chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis in this study was performed at the Geochemical Analysis and Testing Center, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We thank Bing Li of the First Institute of Oceanography, MNR, for providing the photograph of the gravity column equipment.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that this research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

  1. Chuecas, L.; Riley, J.P. Component fatty acids of the total lipids of some marine phytoplankton. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U. K. 1969, 49, 97–116. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Volkman, J.K.; Johns, R.B.; Gillan, F.T.; Perry, G.J.; Bavor, H.J., Jr. Microbial lipids of an intertidal sediment—I. Fatty acids and hydrocarbon. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1980, 44, 1133–1143. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Volkman, J.K.; Barrett, S.M.; Blackburn, S.I.; Mansour, M.P.; Sikes, E.L.; Gelin, F. Microalgal biomarkers: A review of recent research developments. Org. Geochem. 1998, 29, 1163–1179. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Cranwell, P.A. Monocarboxylic acids in lake sediments: Indicators derived from terrestrial and aquatic biota of palaeoenvironmental trophic levels. Chem. Geol. 1974, 14, 1–14. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  5. Cranwell, P.A.; Eglinton, G.; Robinson, N. Lipids of aquatic organisms as potential contributors to lacustrine sediments—II. Org. Geochem. 1987, 11, 513–527. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Pearson, E.J.; Farrimond, P.; Juggins, S. Lipid geochemistry of lake sediments from semi-arid Spain: Relationships with source inputs and environmental factors. Org. Geochem. 2007, 38, 1169–1195. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Taub, R.; Ganzert, L.; Grossart, H.-P.; Gleixner, G.; Premke, K. Organic matter quality structures benthic fatty acid patterns and the abundance of fungi and bacteria in temperate lakes. Sci. Total Environ. 2018, 610, 469–481. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  8. Ficken, K.J.; Barber, K.E.; Eglinton, G. Lipid biomarker, δ13C and plant macrofossil stratigraphy of a Scottish montane peat bog over the last two millennia. Org. Geochem. 1998, 28, 217–237. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Hou, J.; Huang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Shuman, B.; Oswald, W.W.; Faison, E.; Foster, D.R. Postglacial climate reconstruction based on compound-specific D/H ratios of fatty acids from Blood Pond, New England. Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 2006, 7, 851. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  10. Huguet, A.; Meador, T.B.; Laggoun-Defarge, F.; Könneke, M.; Wu, W.; Derenne, S.; Hinrichs, K.U. Production rates of bacterial tetraether lipids and fatty acids in peatland under varying oxygen concentrations. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 2017, 203, 103–116. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Soman, V.; Suresh, A.; Krishnankutty Remani, A.; Kalladathvalappil Venugopalan, V.; Keedakkadan, H.R. A Holistic Review on Diverse Lipid Biomarkers as Environmental Indicators: Extraction and Analysis from Sediments to Microbial Communities. Geomicrobiol. J. 2024, 41, 891–909. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  12. Duan, Y.; Luo, B.J.; Qian, J.S.; Xu, Y.Q. Study On organic geochemistry of fatty acids in recent sediments from Nansha sea area. Mar. Geol. Quat. Geol. 1996, 16, 23–31. [Google Scholar]
  13. Fu, M.Y.; Zhou, H.Y.; Wang, H.; Li, J.W.; Yi, X.J.; Yang, W.F. The fatty acids profile in core sediment in the pearl river estuary. Trans. Oceanol. Limnol. 2010, 32, 161–172. [Google Scholar]
  14. Jiang, S.C.; Fu, J.M.; Lin, M.F.; Yan, Z.P.; Tang, Y.Q. Fatty acid distribution in East China Sea sediments. Geochimica 1983, 12, 285–293. [Google Scholar]
  15. Jiang, S.C.; Fu, J.M.; Luan, Z.F. Distribution characteristics of unsaturated fatty acid of bacterial biomarkers in Okinawa trough. In Proceedings of Organic Geochemistry; Science Press: Beijing, China, 1986; pp. 168–175. [Google Scholar]
  16. Lin, W.D.; Zhou, Y.Z.; Shen, P. Composition, distribution and source of fatty acids in marine surface sediments from the middle of South China Sea. J. Guangxi Teach. Educ. Univ. (Nat. Sci. Ed.) 2004, 21, 11–15. [Google Scholar]
  17. Liu, Y.J.; Wang, J.T.; He, X.L. Distribution of fatty acid in sediments from red tide-frequent-occurrence area in East China Sea and their indications. Mar. Environ. Sci. 2012, 31, 803–807. [Google Scholar]
  18. Mao, S.Y.; Zhu, X.W.; Sun, Y.G.; Guan, H.X.; Wu, D.D.; Wu, N.Y. Identification of sulfate reducing bacteria and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in marine sediments from Shenhu Area Northern South China sea: Implication from fatty acids. Mar. Geol. Quat. Geol. 2015, 35, 139–148. [Google Scholar]
  19. Zhao, Y.Y.; Luan, Z.F.; Sun, Z.Q. Characteristic of monatomic fatty acid and alkane of marine sediments in Beibu Gulf of the South China Sea. In Proceedings of Organic Geochemistry; Science Press: Beijing, China, 1987; pp. 1–9. [Google Scholar]
  20. Chen, M.; Li, D.W.; Zhang, H.; Wang, Z.; Zhao, M. Distinct variations and mechanisms for terrestrial OC 14C-ages in the Eastern China marginal sea sediments since the last deglaciation. Quat. Sci. Rev. 2023, 315, 108235. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. He, J.X.; Zhang, S.Y.; Zhang, X.L.; Qian, Y.; He, H.; Wu, H. Composition and Distribution Characteristics and Geochemical Significance of n-Alkanes in Core Sediments in the Northern Part of the South Yellow Sea. J. Chem. 2016, 2016, 4741939. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  22. Li, S.L.; Zhang, S.Y.; Zhao, Q.F.; Dong, H.P. The geochemical characteristics and its significance of saturated hydrocarbon in Surface Sediments from the South Yellow Sea. Mar. Geol. Lett. 2009, 25, 1–7. [Google Scholar]
  23. Zhang, S.Y.; Li, S.L.; Dong, H.P.; Shi, J.A. Characteristics of biomarkers composition and geochemical significance of surface sediments in the northern part of south Yellow Sea. Mar. Sci. Bull. 2012, 31, 198–206. [Google Scholar]
  24. Zhang, S.Y.; Li, S.L.; Dong, H.P.; Zhao, Q.; Lu, X.; Shi, J.A. An analysis of organic matter sources for surface sediments in the central South Yellow Sea, China: Evidence based on macroelements and n-alkanes. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 2014, 88, 389–397. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  25. Wu, S.; Liu, J.; Pei, L.; Chang, Q. Organic carbon provenance and its response to the East Asian winter monsoon in the northern offshore mud area of Shandong Peninsula over the past 3000 years. Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci. 2025, 81, 104008. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Duan, Y.; Wen, Q.B.; Zheng, G.D.; Luo, B.; Ma, L. Isotopic composition and probable origins of individual fatty acids in modern sediments from Ruoergai Marsh and Nansha Sea, China. Org. Geochem. 1997, 27, 583–589. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Duan, Y.; Song, J.M.; Cui, M.Z.; Luo, B.J. Organic geochemical studies of sinking particulate material in China sea area-Ⅰ. Organic matter fluxes and distributional features of hydrocarbon compounds and fatty acids. Sci. China (Ser. D) 1998, 41, 208–214. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Hayashi, H.; Takii, S. Vertical distribution and some properties of bacteria in a stored core sample from Lake Biwa. In Paleolimnology of Lake Biwa and the Japanese Pleistocene; Hone, S., Ed.; Kyoto University Press: Kyoto, Japan, 1977; pp. 235–243. [Google Scholar]
  29. Heras, X.D.L.; Grimalt, J.O.; Albaigés, J.; Julia, R.; Anadon, P. Origin and diagenesis of the organic matter in Miocene freshwater lacustrine phosphates (Cerdanya Basin, Eastern Pyrenees). Org. Geochem. 1989, 14, 667–677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Matsuda, H.; Koyama, T. Early diagenesis of fatty acids in lacustrine sediments—I. Identification and distribution of fatty acids in recent sediment from a freshwater lake. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1977, 41, 777–783. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Matsuda, H.; Koyama, T. Early diagenesis of fatty acids in lacustrine sediments—II. A statistical approach to changes in fatty acid composition from recent sediments and some source materials. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1977, 41, 1825–1834. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Erwin, J.A. Comparative biochemistry of fatty acids in eukary microorganisms. In Lipids and Biomembranes of Eukaryotic Microorganisms; Erwin, J.A., Ed.; Academic Press: New York, NY, USA, 1973; pp. 91–143. [Google Scholar]
  33. Venkatesan, M.I. Organic geochemistry of marine sediments in Antarctic region: Marine lipids in McMurdo Sound. Org. Geochem. 1988, 12, 13–27. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Schleder, A.; Froehner, S.; Sanez, J.; Parron, L.; Hansel, F.; Guerreiro, R.L.; Bahniuk, A. Insights into the organic matter composition of soda lakes in the Pantanal, Brazil, through fatty acids analysis in sediments. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 2023, 30, 103932–103946. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Wang, X.Q.; Chen, S.; Xu, L.F.; Peng, D. Geochemical Characteristics of Acid Compounds in Columnar Sediments in the Southwest Subsea Basin of the South China Sea. Mar. Geol. Front. 2020, 36, 17–24. [Google Scholar]
  36. Kaneda, T. Fatty acids in the genus Bacillus. I. Iso- and anteiso-fatty acids as characteristic constituents of lipids in 10 species. J. Bacteriol. 1967, 93, 894–903. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  37. Perry, G.J.; Volkman, J.K.; Johns, R.B.; Bavor, H.J., Jr. Fatty acids of bacterial origin in contemporary marine sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1979, 43, 1715–1725. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Taylor, J.; Parkes, R.J. The Cellular Fatty Acids of the Sulphate-reducing Bacteria, Desulfobacter sp., Desulfobulbus sp. and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Microbiology 1983, 129, 3303–3309. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  39. Wakeham, S.G.; Canuel, E.A. Fatty acids and sterols of particulate matter in a brackish and seasonally anoxic coastal salt pond. Org. Geochem. 1990, 16, 703–713. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Lebreton, B.; Richard, P.; Galois, R.; Radenac, G.; Pfléger, C.; Guillou, G.; Mornet, F.; Blanchard, G.F. Trophic importance of diatoms in an intertidal Zostera noltii seagrassbed: Evidence from stable isotope and fatty acid analyses. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 2011, 92, 140–153. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  41. Zhao, M.; Zhang, Y.; Xing, L.; Liu, Y.; Tao, S.; Zhang, H. The composition and distribution of n-alkanes in surface sediments from the South Yellow Sea and their potential as organic matter source indicators. Period. Ocean. Univ. China 2011, 41, 90–96. [Google Scholar]
  42. Gu, Y.; Chang, X.; Kong, F.; Lan, K.; Zhuang, G.C.; Liu, X.T. Holocene sediment source-to-sink processes and their controlling factors in the central South Yellow Sea mud area. Mar. Geol. Quat. Geol. 2024, 44, 140–150. [Google Scholar]
  43. Li, H.; Han, Z.; Yan, T.; Zhao, K.X.; Yang, Y.P. Similarity measurement algorithm of REE distribution curve and its application for provenance discrimination of sediments in the Yellow Sea. Mar. Geol. Front. 2023, 39, 88–97. [Google Scholar]
  44. Hao, X.; Song, J.; Li, X. A review of the major progress on carbon cycle researches in the Chinese marginal seas and the analysis of the key influence factors. Mar. Sci. 2008, 32, 83–90. [Google Scholar]
  45. Qin, Y.S.; Zhao, Y.Y.; Chen, L.R. Geology of the Yellow Sea; China Ocean Press: Beijing, China, 1989. [Google Scholar]
  46. Sholkovitz, E.R. Flocculation of dissolved organic and inorganic matter during mixing of river water and seawater. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1976, 40, 831–845. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  47. Liang, Y.; Mai, K.S.; Sun, S.C.; Huang, G.X.; Hu, H.Y. Effects of salinity on the growth and fatty acid composition of six strains of marine diatoms. Trans. Oceanol. Limnol. 2000, 4, 53–62. [Google Scholar]
  48. Schleder, A.A.; Froehner, S.; Guerreiro, R.L.; Parron, L.; Hansel, F.; Sánez, J.; de Castro Martins, C.; Maltempi, E.; Balsanelli, E. Disentangling sources and variation of organic matter in soda lakes from Nhecolândia (Pantanal, Brazil) based on hydrocarbons and bacterial composition. J. S. Am. Earth Sci. 2022, 114, 103718. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Cai, J.G.; Xu, J.L.; Yang, S.Y.; Bao, Y.J.; Lu, L.F. The Fractionation of an Argillaceous Sediment and Difference in Organic Matter Enrichment in Different Fractions. Geol. J. China Univ. 2006, 12, 234–241. [Google Scholar]
  50. Shi, W.; Sun, M.Y.; Molina, M.; Hodson, R.E. Variability in the distribution of lipid biomarkers and their molecular isotopic composition in Altamaha estuarine sediments implications for the relative contribution of organic matter from various sources. Org. Geochem. 2001, 32, 453–467. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  51. Disnar, J.R.; Stefanova, M.; Bourdon, S.; Laggoun-Défarge, F. Sequential fatty acid analysis of a peat core covering the last two millennia (Tritrivakely lake, Madagascar): Diagenesis appraisal and consequences for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Org. Geochem. 2005, 36, 1391–1404. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Niggemann, J.; Schubert, C.J. Fatty acid biogeochemistry of sediments from the Chilean coastal upwelling region: Sources and diagenetic changes. Org. Geochem. 2006, 37, 626–647. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. Venturini, N.; Salhi, M.; Bessonar, M.; Piresvanin, A.M.S. Fatty acid biomarkers of organic matter sources and early diagenetic signatures in sediments from a coastal upwelling area (south-eastern Brazil). Chem. Ecol. 2012, 28, 221–238. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. Johnson, R.W.; Calder, J.A. Early diagenesis of fatty acids and hydrocarbons in a salt marsh environment. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 1973, 37, 1943–1955. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  55. Zhang, H.S.; Pan, J.M.; Chen, J.F.; Chen, R.H.; Lu, B.; Xue, B. Biomarkers in sediments in the Arctic areas and Ecologtcai envtronmental response. Mar. Geol. Quat. Geol. 2007, 27, 41–49. [Google Scholar]
  56. Chen, J.L.; Li, F.; He, X.P.; He, X.; Wang, J. Lipid biomarker as indicator for assessing the input of organic matters into sediments and evaluating phytoplankton evolution in upper water of the East China Sea. Ecol. Indic. 2019, 101, 380–387. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  57. Lajat, M.; Saliot, A.; Schimmelmann, A. Free and bound lipids in recent (1835–1987) sediments from Santa Barbara Basin. Org. Geochem. 1990, 16, 793–803. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  58. Wang, X.Q.; Wan, Z.F.; Chen, C.M.; Chen, S. Geochemical Characteristics of Hydrocarbons in Core Sediments from the Southwest Sub-Basin of the South China Sea and Its Implications for the Sedimentary Environment. Front. Earth Sci. 2021, 9, 664959. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Jmse 13 01511 g001
Figure 1. Sampling locations of core sediments.
Figure 1. Sampling locations of core sediments.
Jmse 13 01511 g001
Jmse 13 01511 g002
Figure 2. An image of the gravity column equipment.
Figure 2. An image of the gravity column equipment.
Jmse 13 01511 g002
Jmse 13 01511 g003
Figure 3. A gas chromatogram of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. (1—nC11:0; 2—nC12:0; 3—iC13:0; 4—aC13:0; 5—nC13:0; 6—iC14:0; 7—aC14:0; 8—C14:1; 9—C14:0; 10—iC15:0; 11—aC15:0; 12—iC15:1; 13—nC15:0; 14—iC16:0; 15—aC16:0; 16—iC16:1; 17—nC16:0; 18—iC17:0; 19—aC17:0; 20—iC17:1; 21—nC17:0; 22—iC18:0; 23—aC18:0; 24—iC18:1; 25—aC18:1; 26—nC18:0; 27—nC19:0; 28—iC20:1; 29—aC20:1; 30—nC20:0; 31—nC21:0; 32—iC22:1; 33—aC22:1; 34—nC22:0; 35—nC23:0; 36—nC24:0; 37—nC25:0; 38—nC26:0; 39—nC27:0; 40—nC28:0; 41—nC29:0; 42—nC30:0).
Figure 3. A gas chromatogram of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. (1—nC11:0; 2—nC12:0; 3—iC13:0; 4—aC13:0; 5—nC13:0; 6—iC14:0; 7—aC14:0; 8—C14:1; 9—C14:0; 10—iC15:0; 11—aC15:0; 12—iC15:1; 13—nC15:0; 14—iC16:0; 15—aC16:0; 16—iC16:1; 17—nC16:0; 18—iC17:0; 19—aC17:0; 20—iC17:1; 21—nC17:0; 22—iC18:0; 23—aC18:0; 24—iC18:1; 25—aC18:1; 26—nC18:0; 27—nC19:0; 28—iC20:1; 29—aC20:1; 30—nC20:0; 31—nC21:0; 32—iC22:1; 33—aC22:1; 34—nC22:0; 35—nC23:0; 36—nC24:0; 37—nC25:0; 38—nC26:0; 39—nC27:0; 40—nC28:0; 41—nC29:0; 42—nC30:0).
Jmse 13 01511 g003
Jmse 13 01511 g004
Figure 4. Mass spectra of fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. ((a) iC14:0; (b) iC15:0; (c) iC16:0; (d) aC16:0; (e) iC18:1; (f) aC18:1; (g) nC16:0; (h) nC18:0).
Figure 4. Mass spectra of fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. ((a) iC14:0; (b) iC15:0; (c) iC16:0; (d) aC16:0; (e) iC18:1; (f) aC18:1; (g) nC16:0; (h) nC18:0).
Jmse 13 01511 g004
Jmse 13 01511 g005
Figure 5. Mass spectra of unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. ((a) C16:1Δ9; (b) C18:1Δ11; (c) C18:2, ZY12; (d) C18:2, ZY1).
Figure 5. Mass spectra of unsaturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples. ((a) C16:1Δ9; (b) C18:1Δ11; (c) C18:2, ZY12; (d) C18:2, ZY1).
Jmse 13 01511 g005
Jmse 13 01511 g006
Figure 6. Mass spectra of short-chain fatty acids (methyl ester) ((a) C8:0; (b) C9:0; (c) C10:0; (d) C11:0).
Figure 6. Mass spectra of short-chain fatty acids (methyl ester) ((a) C8:0; (b) C9:0; (c) C10:0; (d) C11:0).
Jmse 13 01511 g006
Jmse 13 01511 g007
Figure 7. The vertical distribution characteristics of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples ((a) ∑C8:0–C11:0 (%); (b) CPI; (c) ∑C20:0-(%); (d) ∑C20:0-/C20:0+; (e) ∑n-alk saturated (%); (f) ∑iso+ant saturated (%); (g) ∑unsaturated (%); (h) ∑(i + a) sat + unsat (%)). Notes: n-alk saturated: n-alkanoic saturated fatty acid methyl ester; iso + ant saturated: isomeric and anteiso saturated fatty acid methyl ester; unsaturated: unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester; (i + a) sat + unsat: isomeric and anteiso saturated fatty acid methyl ester + unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester.
Figure 7. The vertical distribution characteristics of the fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples ((a) ∑C8:0–C11:0 (%); (b) CPI; (c) ∑C20:0-(%); (d) ∑C20:0-/C20:0+; (e) ∑n-alk saturated (%); (f) ∑iso+ant saturated (%); (g) ∑unsaturated (%); (h) ∑(i + a) sat + unsat (%)). Notes: n-alk saturated: n-alkanoic saturated fatty acid methyl ester; iso + ant saturated: isomeric and anteiso saturated fatty acid methyl ester; unsaturated: unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester; (i + a) sat + unsat: isomeric and anteiso saturated fatty acid methyl ester + unsaturated fatty acid methyl ester.
Jmse 13 01511 g007
Jmse 13 01511 g008
Figure 8. The profile of the ratio of branched to linear fatty acids in core sediment samples at different depths ((a) (iC15:0 + aC15:0)/nC15:0; (b) (iC17:0 + aC17:0)/nC17:0).
Figure 8. The profile of the ratio of branched to linear fatty acids in core sediment samples at different depths ((a) (iC15:0 + aC15:0)/nC15:0; (b) (iC17:0 + aC17:0)/nC17:0).
Jmse 13 01511 g008
Table 1. The geochemical parameters of the saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples.
Table 1. The geochemical parameters of the saturated fatty acids (methyl ester) in the core sediment samples.
Sample
No.		Depth
/cm		Range of Carbon NumbersABCDEFGH
ZY1108–306.184.450.170.913.5482.5413.9230.84
ZY22011–308.422.920.100.980.2689.1310.6128.49
ZY33011–307.583.650.120.720.1688.1911.6531.15
ZY44011–307.973.680.100.720.0988.7711.1534.41
ZY5509–309.394.110.090.820.9889.399.6333.88
ZY66012–306.813.420.140.750.0087.2012.8032.61
ZY77012–307.683.310.120.760.0088.4811.5232.39
ZY88011–306.663.280.150.590.1986.7613.0529.68
ZY99010–307.072.800.130.500.2987.3312.3825.82
ZY1010010–305.863.160.190.830.5384.8914.5729.59
ZY111109–304.433.500.240.951.8679.7118.4229.16
ZY1212011–309.853.170.080.590.1490.649.2233.17
ZY1313011–307.663.340.140.720.1488.3111.5530.02
ZY141408–307.933.790.110.813.4585.3511.2031.97
ZY151509–3010.964.340.070.781.0690.588.3635.05
ZY1616010–307.093.840.120.730.5187.1312.3633.23
ZY171708–309.464.020.090.812.8087.649.5635.65
ZY181808–304.563.150.240.764.0677.9517.9826.65
ZY191909–307.353.430.130.692.2585.7711.9830.04
ZY202008–307.363.430.130.596.1581.8911.9626.93
ZY212108–305.003.240.210.842.9980.3416.6728.76
ZY222208–304.583.340.230.863.2378.8417.9328.01
ZY232308–304.743.640.230.844.7777.8117.4229.09
ZY242408–305.523.210.200.674.8579.8115.3425.72
ZY252508–306.624.190.161.015.6981.1913.1229.63
A—∑C20:0−/∑C20:0+; B—CPI (C14:0–C28:0); C—TARFA; D—(iC15:0 + aC15:0)/nC15:0; E—∑C8:0–C11:0 (%); F—∑C12:0–C20:0 (%); G—C21:0–C30:0 (%); H—C16:0/∑ saturated n-alkanoic fatty acid (%); TARFA = ∑(C24:0 + C26:0 + C28:0)/∑(C12:0 + C14:0 + C16:0); CPI (C14:0–C28:0) = 0.5 × [∑(C14:0–C28:0)even carbon number/∑(C13:0–C27:0) odd carbon number + ∑(C14:0–C28:0) even carbon number/∑(C15:0–C29:0) odd carbon number].
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

He, J.; Zhang, X.; Ma, R.; Huang, Z.; Li, J.; Sun, P.; Song, J. The Geochemical Characteristics of the Fatty Acids in the Core Sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 1511. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081511

AMA Style

He J, Zhang X, Ma R, Huang Z, Li J, Sun P, Song J. The Geochemical Characteristics of the Fatty Acids in the Core Sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(8):1511. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081511

Chicago/Turabian Style

He, Jinxian, Xiaoli Zhang, Ruihua Ma, Zhengxin Huang, Juhao Li, Peilin Sun, and Jiayao Song. 2025. "The Geochemical Characteristics of the Fatty Acids in the Core Sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 8: 1511. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081511

APA Style

He, J., Zhang, X., Ma, R., Huang, Z., Li, J., Sun, P., & Song, J. (2025). The Geochemical Characteristics of the Fatty Acids in the Core Sediments in the Northern South Yellow Sea. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(8), 1511. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13081511

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop