Utility of 5 Å molecular sieves to measure carbon isotope ratios in lipid biomarkers

A procedure using 5 Å zeolite sorption to separate cyclic/branched organic compounds from the linear ones was developed and carbon isotopic fractionation effects were investigated in different families of compounds, e.g. within the hydrocarbon and alcohol compounds. The 5 Å sieve has a pore size such that only linear components can be incorporated into the pores whereas the cyclic/branched compounds are remaining free in the organic solution. The sorbed compounds were released from the molecular sieve with HF and solvent extracted with hexane. The method enables the isolation of linear saturated classes, such as n-alkanes and n-fatty alcohols from branched/cyclic compounds without isotopic fractionation for compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of δ13C. However, alkene hydrocarbons, sterols and some aromatics were completely or partly degraded with the molecular sieve.