Preserved precursors in Pumpherston shale kerogen revealed by oxidative degradation

An optimised stepwise alkaline permanganate degradation was shown to have potentials in elucidating the genesis pathway and the origin of kerogens, and, more specifically, to reveal preserved precursors in a kerogen matrix. Thus, Pumpherston shale kerogen, used as the substrate in this study, was found to be of mixed origin, i.e., to contain both inherited resistant algal structures (B. braunii A and B algaenans), as well as resistant biomacromolecular components of continental flora (cutans). It is suggested that this kerogen or parts of it were formed by the selective preservation pathway.