Characterization of Eocene flint

• Published in: Chemical geology Vol. 582; p. 120427
• Main Authors: Natalio, Filipe, Corrales, Tomas P., Pierantoni, Maria, Rosenhek-Goldian, Irit, Cernescu, Adrian, Raguin, Emeline, Maria, Raquel, Cohen, Sidney R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 05-11-2021
• Subjects: Amide I; Carbonaceous material; Eocene; Flint; Geochemistry; in situ; nanocharacterization; Organic; Flint; Organic; Geochemistry; nanocharacterization; Eocene; Amide I; Carbonaceous material; in situ
• ISSN: 0009-2541; 1872-6836
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemgeo.2021.120427

Eocene flint 48–56.0 million years old (mya) from the Negev desert (Israel) was characterized using a suite of analytical techniques. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) of the inorganic component showed the texture, morphology, size, and distribution of two silica polymorphs: α–quartz and moganite. While euhedral forms were attributed to α-quartz, moganite crystals were comprised of spherulitic grains. An electron less-dense amorphous material (no scattering under SAED) was found between the siliceous crystallites. Energy dispersive X-rays (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) demonstrated that this electron less-dense amorphous material is composed solely of carbon. Low vacuum, low energy backscattered environmental scanning electron microscopy (BSE-eSEM) imaging of flint surfaces showed the presence of micrometer-sized organic inclusions randomly distributed throughout the siliceous matrix. Energy-dispersive X-ray studies (EDS) demonstrated that these organic micro-inclusions were composed of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen with a C/N ratio attributed to marine sources. These micro-inclusions were not directly associated with hard-shell fossils. BSE-eSEM imaging conditions allowed the identification of entrapped carbon-rich organic material, which is not possible when applying commonly used electron microscopy conditions that require carbon coating and high acceleration voltages, rendering carbon-rich features electron-transparent. Phase contrast-enhanced micro-computed tomography (PC-μCT) showed that these organic micro-inclusions were randomly distributed throughout the siliceous matrix.
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), nano-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (nano-FTIR), and scanning probe microscopy (SPM) were used to further characterize these organic micro-inclusions. These three in situ analytical techniques with nanometer resolution provided complementary information on the chemical composition and structure of the organic material. Specifically, ToF-SIMS analysis revealed amino acid and hydrocarbon mass spectra fingerprints inside the organic micro-inclusions. While the former were exclusively found in the organic micro-inclusions, the mass spectral fingerprints for hydrocarbons were also found in the siliceous matrix in agreement with the HR-TEM/EDS/EELS results, where pure carbon was found between the siliceous nanocrystals. While ToF-SIMS provides chemical information, it does not provide structural information. Nano-FTIR analysis showed the presence of amide I and II infrared vibrations exclusively on the organic micro-inclusions. The scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques Peak Force Quantitative Nanomechanics (PF-QNM) and Contact Resonance Atomic Force Microscopy (CR-AFM) were used to assess the mechanical properties. PF-QNM measurements on the organic micro-inclusions, under dry and liquid conditions, demonstrated that the organic micro-inclusions swell upon hydration and soften, pointing toward the presence of hydrophilic molecules in agreement with nano-FTIR and ToF-SIMS results. CR-AFM allows in situ determination of the mechanical properties of materials with high stiffness at nanometer resolution. This technique, rarely used in a geological context, revealed that the organic micro-inclusions had an unusually high stiffness atypical for modern organic material, which was attributed to molecular cross-linking promoted by diagenesis.
This work provided a comprehensive view of the inorganic and organic components of Eocene flint from the Negev desert with implications for paleontology and archaeology. It offers a roadmap of novel complementary techniques that can be used in the exploration of entrapped organic material in flint.
•Eocene flint from the Negev Desert contains two different types of organic material.•Intercrystalline material is composed solely of amorphous carbon.•Micrometer size organic microinclusions contain molecular species with heteroatoms such as sulfur and nitrogen.•Amide I is present in the organic micro-inclusions as well as hydrophilic molecules.•Organic micro-inclusions have an unusually high stiffness.