Testing for fullerenes in geologic materials: Oklo carbonaceous substances, Karelian shungites, Sudbury Black Tuff

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2003 Testing for fullerenes in geologic materials: Oklo carbonaceous substances, Karelian shungites, Sudbury Black Tuff David Mossman; David Mossman 1Department of Geography, Mount Allison University, 144 Main St., Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Guenter Eigendorf; Guenter Eigendorf 2Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Room D128, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Dennis Tokaryk; Dennis Tokaryk 3Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar François Gauthier-Lafaye; François Gauthier-Lafaye 4Centre de Géochemie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, et Université Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kristal D. Guckert; Kristal D. Guckert 5Department of Geology, University of Ottawa, 63C York Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Victor Melezhik; Victor Melezhik 6Geological Survey of Norway, 7491 Trondheim, Norway Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Catharine E.G. Farrow Catharine E.G. Farrow 7Inco Technical Services Ltd., Highway 17 West, Copper Cliff, Ontario P0M 1N0, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information David Mossman 1Department of Geography, Mount Allison University, 144 Main St., Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1A7, Canada Guenter Eigendorf 2Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Room D128, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z1, Canada Dennis Tokaryk 3Department of Physics, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4400, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3, Canada François Gauthier-Lafaye 4Centre de Géochemie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, et Université Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blessig, 67084 Strasbourg, France Kristal D. Guckert 5Department of Geology, University of Ottawa, 63C York Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada Victor Melezhik 6Geological Survey of Norway, 7491 Trondheim, Norway Catharine E.G. Farrow 7Inco Technical Services Ltd., Highway 17 West, Copper Cliff, Ontario P0M 1N0, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 Jun 2002 Revision Received: 24 Oct 2002 Accepted: 25 Oct 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2003) 31 (3): 255–258. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0255:TFFIGM>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 14 Jun 2002 Revision Received: 24 Oct 2002 Accepted: 25 Oct 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation David Mossman, Guenter Eigendorf, Dennis Tokaryk, François Gauthier-Lafaye, Kristal D. Guckert, Victor Melezhik, Catharine E.G. Farrow; Testing for fullerenes in geologic materials: Oklo carbonaceous substances, Karelian shungites, Sudbury Black Tuff. Geology 2003;; 31 (3): 255–258. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0255:TFFIGM>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Fullerenes have been reported from diverse geologic environments since their discovery in shungite from Karelian Russia. Our investigation is prompted by the presence of onionskin-like structures in some carbonaceous substances associated with the fossil nuclear fission reactors of Oklo, Gabon. The same series of extractions and the same instrumental techniques, laser desorption ionization and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (electron-impact mass spectroscopy), were employed to test for fullerenes in samples from three different localities: two sites containing putative fullerenes (Sudbury Basin and Russian Karelia) and one new location (Oklo, Gabon). We confirm the presence of fullerenes (C60 and C70) in the Black Tuff of the Onaping Formation impact breccia in the Sudbury Basin, but we find no evidence of fullerenes in shungite samples from various locations in Russian Karelia. Analysis of carbonaceous substances associated with the natural nuclear fission reactors of Oklo yields no definitive signals for fullerenes. If fullerenes were produced during sustained nuclear fission at Oklo, then they are present below the detection limit (∼100 fmol), or they have destabilized since formation. Contrary to some expectations, geologic occurrences of fullerenes are not commonplace. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.