Variants of Specific Surfaces in the Bakoven Member: Union Springs Formation of the Marcellus Subgroup in Central New York State (USA)

Abstract

The variants of specific surfaces of 40 samples from the Bakoven Member of the Union Springs formation have been studied using physicochemical methods. Variations in the specific surface areas were attributed to differences in the quantities of clay minerals as well as organic matter content and types. The 2:1 clay minerals like illite and smectite were the main contributors of specific surface areas due to their large intracrystalline surfaces. Low external surface areas reported in some samples might be due to either the competition of adsorptive sites for nitrogen molecules with organic matter or the organic matter blocking of some adsorptive sites and micropores on the sample surface. The opposite is true for most of the samples that reported high TOC values suggesting that organic matter might have provided additional sorption sites for the polar compound but further study is needed to clarify. An excellent positive relationship between surface area and total organic carbon suggested that most organic matter in the samples are adsorbed.