The second edition of The Biomarker Guide consists of two volumes, with the first edition (Peters and Moldowan) being published in 1993 as one volume by the Chevron Texaco Exploration and Production Company. Volume 1 is entitled Biomarkers and Isotopes in the Environment and Human History; Volume 2 is entitled Biomarkers and Isotopes in Petroleum and Earth History. Because the volumes can be purchased separately, the glossary is repeated in both volumes, as are pages i-xvii (except the list of contents is unique), with the list of references and index unique to each volume.
The authors state their purpose (p. xvi) as providing a "comprehensive discussion of the basic principles of biomarkers, their relationships with other parameters, and their applications to studies of maturation, correlation, source input, depositional environment, and biodegradation of the organic matter in petroleum source rocks, reservoirs, and the environment." It is clearly stated that the intent of the volumes is not to provide training in the interpretation of raw biomarker data but to supply a sole source of concise information on the various biomarker parameters and their selection for use. Overall, they hope the guide will convey the excitement and dynamic nature of this relatively new realm of biomarker geochemistry.
Biomarker, short for biological marker, is defined as a complex organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and other elements, which show little or no structural change from parent organic molecules in living organisms, even over long periods. This resistance to biodegradation during sedimentation and diagenesis makes biomarkers a powerful geochemical tool. As complex molecular artifacts, these substances originate from the biochemical constituents (e.g., lipids) of past plants and animals. It is worth noting that the term "biomarker" as used in medicine and in toxicology is not to be considered synonymous with its use in geochemistry; these other usages are broader and defined differently.
It is clear at the outset that this guide focuses on the geochemistry of petroleum, but it has attributes that make it attractive to anyone interested in or working in the realm of biomarkers. This is particularly true of Volume 1, which provides basic principles and analytical techniques, with a focus on applications to the environment and human history. Clearly, of the two, this is the volume of relevance to the archaeologist and geoarchaeologist. Moreover, the volume has a broad spectrum of appeal: geologists (including Quaternary types), biogeochemists, environmental scientists, and geochemists, as well as petroleum geochemists, will benefit from the information presented.
Volume 1 contains the first 11 chapters (19 chapters total). Chapter 1, "Origin and Preservation of Organic Matter," is a primer on biomarkers, domains of life, productivity, and the carbon cycle. Factors affecting the distribution, preservation, and alteration of biomarkers are discussed, including types of organic matter, redox potential, bioturbation (oxic vs. anoxic deposition), grain size, and sedimentation rate. Although not focused exclusively on petroleum, this chapter implicitly addresses this realm by limiting discussion to the petroleum-producing lacustrine and marine environments. Chapter 2, "Organic Chemistry," is another primer that introduces or refreshes the reader in the chemical underpinnings, including structural notation and nomenclature. Accordingly, the focus is on carbon and its bonds with hydrogen and on the basic structural units, such as alkanes (a.k.a. saturated hydrocarbons, paraffin), alkenes (olefin), and isoprene (a basic structural unit in most biomarkers). Next, chapter 3, "Biochemistry of Biomarkers," summarizes the biochemical origins of biomarkers, starting appropriately with a discussion of lipids (i.e., oil-soluble, water-insoluble organic compounds,