Evaluating levoglucosan as an indicator of biomass burning in Carajas, Amazonia: A comparison to the charcoal record

We report the use of levoglucosan, a novel molecular marker, to trace contributions from vegetation combustion to sediments. Unlike other indicators used for the same purpose (e.g., retene, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) levoglucosan is source specific and emitted in dominant amounts during the burning of any fuel containing cellulose. The combustion of other materials (i.e., fossil fuels) or biodegradation and hydrolysis of cellulose do not produce levoglucosan. In order to validate the application of this novel marker, levoglucosan was analyzed in a sediment core from a lake in Carajas (southeastern Amazonia). This region presents a unique record of forest fires over the last 7,000 years as indicated by charcoal analysis. The fires, which occurred in that area, could be characterized by using levoglucosan as a molecular marker. Similar reconstruction was possible by using charcoal as an indicator, which validates the application of levoglucosan for tracing vegetation combustion in sediments. Both indicators enabled the recognition of major fires that occurred 700, 1200, 5000, and 7,000 years ago. Copyright (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd.