Organic Geochemistry of Khowr-e-Mussa's Sediments and its Adjacent Marine Areas, Northwest of the Persian Gulf

Behbahani, R; Lak, R; Chanani, N; Hosseinyar, G

doi:10.22071/gsj.2014.43652

Organic Geochemistry of Khowr-e-Mussa's Sediments and its Adjacent Marine Areas, Northwest of the Persian Gulf

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

R Behbahani ¹

R Lak ²

N Chanani ³

G Hosseinyar ⁴

¹ M.Sc., Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor, Research Institute for Earth Sciences, Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran

³ M. Sc., National Iranian South Oil Company, Ahvaz, Iran

⁴ Ph.D. Student, Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran

10.22071/gsj.2014.43652

Abstract

In order to study of organic geochemistry of bed sediments in Khowr-e-Mussa and its adjacent marine areas, 61 surface sediment samples were collected. Based on granulometric analysis of the sediments, 4 major sedimentary types comprising mud, sandy mud, muddy sand, and slightly gravelly muddy sand were determined. The bed sediments are mainly composed of terrigenous (quartz, feldespar, rock fragments, carbonate lithics and clay minerals) and chemical – biochemical (bivalve, gastropod, foraminifera, ostracod and bryozoa) particles. Based on the organic geochemistry studies, the total organic carbon (TOC) varies from 0.11 to 0.70 %wt, which increases in the muddy sediments. The studied kerogens (based on S₂/TOC diagram) indicate that the kerogen types III (%33) and mixture of III-II (%55) are the most abundant. In addition, the hydrogen index versus T_max diagram, revealed the similar results. The studied kerogens indicated that this part of the Persian Gulf affected by the transportation of terrestrial (fluvial, III type) rather than the marine organic matter (II type).

Keywords

Organic Geochemistry

Persian Gulf

Khowr-e-Mussa

Kerogen

Terrestrial Organic Matter

Total Organic Carbon