Vertical distribution and indications of lipids biomarkers in the sediment core from East China Sea

To study the distribution and indications of lipids biomarkers in the mud areas of the East China Sea shelf, a sediment core was collected. Lipids were determined to find the origination of different organic matter (fatty acids and sterols) inputs. The results demonstrated that the distribution of fatty acids and sterols indicated the organic matter derived from the mixed allochthonous and autochthonous sources, but mainly autochthonous. The total fatty acids concentrations ranged from 29.08 μg g−1 to 303.92 μg g−1 and exhibited unimodal distribution with the predominance of C16-fatty acid. Neutral lipid concentrations ranged from 1.77 μg g−1 to 4.65 μg g−1. Furthermore, the distribution patterns of sterols varied with depth, and were dominated by C27-sterol and C29-sterol in the top and bottom sediments respectively. Although bacterial lipids were recruited during diagenesis, the refractory terrestrial lipids were usually preferentially preserved. This records dated from the 1980s suggested that the phytoplankton community was mainly influenced by eutrophication in the East China Sea and this variation may be recorded by lipid biomarkers deposited in the sediment.