Investigation of the origin of Aleksinac oil shale organic matter

Abstract

In order to determine the origin of organic matter of Aleksinac oil shale (the village of Subotinac) a detailed GC-MS analysis of biological markers such as steranes, diterpanes and triterpanes was carried out. Also, micropetrographic analysis of samples was performed. The obtained results strongly suggest that the formation of the oil shale occurred in a large freshwater lake basin in which stratificaton of the water column was not possible, and that the majority of organic matter originates from algae, partially modified by microorganisms.