Towards biomarker analysis of hydrocarbons trapped in individual fluid inclusions: First extraction by ErYAG laser

Fluid inclusions act as sealed vessels containing information about the fluid environment in which the minerals precipitated, and until decrepitated, the chemical composition of the fluid inside the inclusion stays intact. In many cases fluid inclusions contain trapped hydrocarbons, which may provide useful information in paleontological, organic geochemical and astrobiological research since they act as containers of non-contaminated organic matter with a defined minimum age. Here we present a novel concept for extraction of fluid inclusions in preparation for application to extract single fluid inclusions. The method is based on the illumination of a sample with an ErYAG laser ( λ = 2940 nm ). The wavelength of the laser is absorbed by water and organic material, and with the minerals encapsulating the inclusions transparent to the wavelength, the fluid will expand and the inclusion will decrepitate. The initial results of our study demonstrate that fluid inclusions can be extracted by the use of an ErYAG laser, and that organic biomarkers may survive the process, readily available for GC–MS analysis.