Study of coprolites from the araripe sedimentary basin through FT-IR
spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction
QUIMICA NOVA, 30 (8):
1956-1958 (2007)Abstract
Coprolites are fossilized faeces that constitute an important source of
palaeobiological informations. This paper describes the characterization
of some coprolite materials originated from the Romualdo Member of the
Santana Formation (Araripe Basin, south of Ceara State in Brazil) by
means of two techniques: X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform
infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This characterization allowed us to
determine the main composition of the coprolites, of the nodulus (where
the coprolites were extracted) and of the sediment (where the nodulus
was found) suggesting that the material was produced by a carnivorous
fish of the Lower Cretaceous.