Oxidation of petrogenic organic carbon in the Amazon floodplain as a source of atmospheric CO2

Abstract

The two long-term sources of atmospheric carbon are CO2 degassing from metamorphic and volcanic activity, and oxidation of organic carbon (OC) contained in sedimentary rocks, or petrogenic organic carbon (OCpetro). The latter fl ux is still poorly constrained. In this study, we report particulate organic carbon content and 14C activity measurements in Amazon River sediments, which allow for estimates of the OCpetro content of these sediments. A large decrease of OCpetro content in riverine sediments is observed from the outlet of the Andes to the mouth of the large tributaries. This loss reveals oxidation of OCpetro during transfer of sediments in the fl oodplain, and results in an escape of ~0.25 Mt C/yr to the atmosphere, which is on the same order of magnitude as the CO2 consumption by silicate weathering in the same area. Raman microspectroscopy investigations show that graphite is the most stable phase with respect to this oxidation process. These results emphasize the signifi cance of OCpetro oxidation in large river fl oodplains in the global carbon cycle.