Peters K.E., Walters C.C., Moldowan J.M. The Biomarker Guide: Volume 2, Biomarkers and Isotopes in Petroleum Systems and Earth History

Cambridge University Press; 2 edition, 2007. — 704 p.
Biomarkers are compounds found in crude oil with structures inherited from once-living organisms. They persist in oil spills, refinery products and archaeological artifacts, and can be used to identify the origin, geological age and environmental conditions prevelant during their formation and alteration. The two volumes of the Biomarker Guide detail the origin of petroleum, technology for its analysis and key parameters for interpretation. It will be an invaluable resource for geologists, petroleum geochemists, biogeochemists, environmental and forensic scientists, natural product chemists and archaeologists.About the authorsPurpose
Acknowledgements
Geochemical correlation and chemometrics
Source- and age-related biomarker parameters
Maturity-related biomarker parameters
Non-biomarker maturity parameters
Biodegradation parameters
Tectonic and biotic history of the Earth
Petroleum systems through time
Problem areas and further work
Appendix: geologic time charts