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Irving A. Breger

Publications and source records attributed to Irving A. Breger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1983

Eastern Devonian shales: Organic geochemical studies, past and present

The Eastern Devonian shales are represented by a sequence of sediments extending from New York state, south to the northern regions of Georgia and Alabama, and west into Ohio and to the Michigan and Ilinois Basins. Correlatives are known in Texas. The shale is regionally known by a number of names: Chattanooga, Dunkirk, Rhinestreet, Huron, Antrim, Ohio, Woodford, etc. These shales, other than those in Texas, have elicited much interest because they have been a source of unassociated natural gas. It is of particular interest, however, that most of these shales have no associated crude oil, in spite of the fact that they have some of the characteristics normally attributed to source beds. This paper addresses some of the organic geochemical aspects of the kerogen in these shales, in relation to their oil generating potential. Past organic geochemical studies on Eastern Devonian shales will be reviewed. Recent solid state 13C NMR studies on the nature of the organic matter in Eastern Devonian shales show that Eastern Devonian shales contain a larger fraction of aromatic carbon in their chemical composition. Thus, despite their high organic matter contents, their potential as a petroleum source rock is low, because the kerogen in these shales is of a "coaly" nature and hence more prone to producing natural gas.

Conference Paper↗
USGS1982

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of ancient buried wood-II. Observations on the origin of coal from lignite to bituminous coal

Coalified logs ranging in age from Late Pennsylvania to Miocene and in rank from lignite B to bituminous coal were analyzed by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) utilizing the cross-polarization, magic-angle spinning technique, as well as by infrared spectroscopy. The results of this study indicate that at least three major stages of coalification can be observed as wood gradually undergoes transformation to bituminous coal. The first stage involves hydrolysis and loss of cellulose from wood with retention and differential concentration of the resistant lignin. The second stage involves conversion of the lignin residues directly to coalified wood of lignitic rank, during which the oxygen content of intermediate diagenetic products remains constant as the hydrogen content and the carbon content increases. These changes are thought to involve loss of methoxyl groups, water, and C3 side chains from the lignin. In the third major stage of coalification, the coalified wood increases in rank to subbituminous and bituminous coal; during this stage the oxygen content decreases, hydrogen remains constant, and the carbon content increases. These changes are thought to result from loss of soluble humic acids that are rich in oxygen and that are mobilized during compaction and dewatering. Relatively resistant resinous substances are differentially concentrated in the coal during this stage. The hypothesis that humic acids are formed as mobile by-products of the coalification of lignin and function only as vehicles for removal of oxygen represents a dramatic departure from commonly accepted views that they are relatively low-molecular-weight intermediates formed during the degradation of lignin that then condense to form high-molecular-weight coal structures. ?? 1982.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1981

Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of ancient buried wood-I. Observations on the origin of coal to the brown coal stage

Various wood fragments buried in sediments under anaerobic conditions for from 450 yr to approximately 8 Myr have been examined by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance. Cellulose and other carbohydrates, the major components of Holocene wood, have been shown to be gradually hydrolyzed or otherwise lost under the conditions of burial. Lignin structures, however, are preserved relatively unchanged and become concentrated by difference as the carbohydrates disappear. Thus, a fragment of coalified wood isolated from a Miocene brown coal was found to be still composed of approximately 75% lignin and 25% cellulose. On the basis of our observations, we suggest that coalification of woody tissue progresses directly from lignin to coal and that such coalification may be retarded until most of the cellulose disappears. ?? 1981.

Organic Geochemistry↗
USGS1980

Structural characteristics of fulvic acids from Continental Shelf sediments

Fulvic acids are those components of soil organic matter that remain soluble after a dilute alkaline extract of the soil is acidified to pH 2 (refs 1, 2). This extraction procedure has been applied to marine sediments, and the organic compounds so recovered have been called marine sedimentary fulvic acids. These fulvic acids are thought to form more complex humic substances in marine sediments by condensation reactions3. However, the chemical structural compositions of marine fulvic acids have not been defined sufficiently to allow this precursor relationship to be made. Here NMR spectroscopy is used to identify more clearly the chemical structural components of some marine sedimentary fulvic acids, thus enabling a more useful examination of their relationship to more complex humic substances. ?? 1980 Nature Publishing Group.

Nature↗
USGS1970

Search for organic compounds in the lunar dust from the Sea of Tranquillity

A sample of lunar dust was examined for organic compounds. Carbon detected in concentrations of 157 micrograms per gram had a δ 13 C per mil (PDB) value of + 20. Treatment with hydrochloric acid yielded hydrocarbons of low molecular weight, suggesting the presence of carbides. The gas chromatogram of the acylated and esterified derivatives of the hydrolyzate was similar to that obtained for the Pueblito de Allende meteorite. There were no detectable amounts of extractable high-molecular-weight alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, isoprenoid hydrocarbons, normal alkanes, fatty acids, amino acids, sugars, or nucleic acid bases. Traces of porphyrins were found, perhaps arising from rocket exhaust materials.

Science↗
USGS1960

Extract ability of humic acid from coalified logs as a guide to temperatures in colorado plateau sediments

Coalified logs in Triassic and Jurassic sediments of the Colorado Plateau have been exposed to alkaline ground water. Extraction of humic acids under such conditions is temperature dependent. Study of residual humic acids in a suite of coalified logs has indicated that temperatures up to but not over 120° C prevailed in the sediments . This maximum temperature corresponds with that to be expected from geothermal gradient and estimated from mineralogic evidence.

Colorado↗
USGS1960

Diagenesis of metabolites and a discussion of the origin of petroleum hydrocarbons

Proteins and carbohydrates are rapidly degraded to compounds of no direct interest in the problem of the origin of petroleum. Lignin, if carried into marine basins in the form of humic substances, is probably the major progenitor of kerogen rather than the precursor of petroleum. Pigments are but minor contributors to petroleum. The fate of fatty acids in a marine environment is not completely understood. Although they may not be directly decarboxylated biochemically, it is shown how they can be converted into oxygenated or dehydrogenated acids more reactive than the parent compounds. Illustrations are also given for Diels-Alder reactions that could account for the formation from these compounds of the alicyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons in petroleum. It is most likely that crude oil is generated in sediments containing concentrations of lipids, the character of which governs the nature of the oil that is formed.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1960

Potentiometric titration and equivalent weight of humic acid

The “acid nature” of humic acid has been controversial for many years. Some investigators claim that humic acid is a true weak acid, while others feel that its behaviour during potentiometric titration can be accounted for by colloidal adsorption of hydrogen ions. The acid character of humic acid has been reinvestigated using newly-derived relationships for the titration of weak acids with strong base. Re-interpreting the potentiometric titration data published by Thiele and Kettner in 1953, it was found that Merck humic acid behaves as a weak polyelectrolytic acid having an equivalent weight of 150, a pK a of 6.8 to 7.0, and a titration exponent of about 4.8. Interdretation of similar data pertaining to the titration of phenol-formaldehyde and pyrogallol-formaldehyde resins, considered to be analogs for humic acid by Thiele and Kettner , leads to the conclusion that it is not possible to differentiate between adsorption and acid-base reaction for these substances.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1960

Equivalent weight of humic acid from peat

By means of discontinuous titration, the equivalent weight of humic acid isolated from a peat was found to increase from 144 to 183 between the third and fifty-second day after the humic acid was dissolved. Infra-red studies showed that the material had probably condensed with loss of carbonyl groups.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1959

Free-radical concentrations and other properties of pile-irradiated coals

Five coals reacted quite differently when they were exposed to pile-irradiation. Little or no change was found in free-radical content for the three coals of lowest carbon content, whereas the two coals of highest carbon content were found to have a considerable increase in free-radical content. The infrared spectra and the apparent hardness of the irradiated coals of higher carbon content indicate that polymerization occurred. Radiation of these coals in chemical reagents may promote reactivity.

Science↗
USGS1958

Isolation and identification of an ester from a crude oil

A dioctylphthalate has been isolated from a crude oil by means of adsorption column chromatography. The ester was identified by means of elemental analysis, refractive index, and its infra-red absorption spectrum. Saponification of the isolate and examination of the resultant alcohol by means of infrared absorption spectra led to the conclusion that the ester is a branched chain dioctylphthalate. This is the first reported occurrence of an ester in crude petroleum.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗