Pigments from Marine Muds

Abstract

Extraction of mud cores from the middle of the Gulf of California revealed numerous chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids. This leads to speculation that protochloro-phyll and other degradation products may have been wrought by non-chlorophyllous organisms; and that the rich deposits of numerous carotenoids may indicate an excess of fungal and bacterial over algal remains, or that iso-merization and other chemical changes have taken place without biol. intervention.