Abstract
The positions of C-S bonds in S-bound steroid and phytane moieties in macromolecules present in the polar fractions of organic S-rich sediment extracts and crude oils are reported. Di- or polysulphide linkages occur in these molecules in all samples, and the location of di- or polysulphide linkages in macromolecularly S-bound moieties is the same as that of monosulphide linkages. The different types of macromolecular S-bound phytanyl moieties might be used as molecular markers for normal marine environments for those bound at C-3, and for hypersaline environments for those bound at C-7, C-11 and C-15.