Dr. Frauke Schmidt

Link to the Organic Geochemistry Group

Research interests

• Molecular composition and transformation of organic matter in marine sediments
  
• Lipid biomarkers and their isotopic signature in biogeochemical processes
• Organic carbon and nitrogen cycle

Current Project

DARCLIFE - WP2: Geochemical environment and modeling.
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in deep ocean sediments contains important information about the preservation and remineralization of organic matter and it serves as an important nutrient pool for microbes. The fate of organic matter and the susceptibility of DOM to decomposition by microbial turnover are strongly dependent on the chemical composition. I use Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resononance Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS, in cooperation with Bruker Daltonik GmbH, Bremen) for the molecular characterization of sedimentary DOM with the aim of identifying types of compounds utilized by microbes and in particular by benthic archaea.

Curriculum vitae

Since January 2011: Postdoc in the Organic Geochemistry group, MARUM
July 2009: PhD degree Dr. rer. nat. from the University of Bremen.
Thesis: “Molecular level studies on the distribution and fate of organic matter at continental margins”
June 2009: Postdoc at the Helmholtz Center Potsdam – GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences;
Project: BioArchive Tswaing Crater
March 2006: PhD student in the working group Organic Geochemistry, MARUM
Link to PhD project
May 2005: Dipl. Geol. univ., Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nürnberg
Diploma thesis: “The effect of organic matter on the adsorption behaviour of dibutyltin (DBT)”
“Geological mapping of the East Alpine Crystalline of the Kreuzeck-group in the southeast of Tresdorf (Mölltal) Kärnten, Austria.”

Field work

• February 2011: Meteor cruise M84/1 La Valetta - Istanbul
• May 2007: Meteor cruise M72/5 Biogeochemistry, fluids, gas hydrates and paleo climate of the Black Sea
• August 2006: Poseidon cruise P342 GALIOMAR - Galician Ocean Margins
• August 2006: River sampling in Galicia und North Portugal. Vigo (Spain) – Porto (Portugal)
• August 2002: Geological mapping of the East Alpine Crystalline, Tresdorf, (Austria).

Publications

• F. Schmidt, B. Koch, M. Elvert, G. Schmidt, M. Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs. Diagenetic transformation of dissolved organic nitrogen compounds under contrasting sedimentary redox conditions in the Black Sea. Environmental Science & Technology 45, 5223-5229.
• F. Schmidt, K.-U. Hinrichs, M. Elvert (2010). Sources, transport and partitioning of organic matter at a highly dynamic continental margin. Marine Chemistry 118 (1-2), 37-55.
• M. A. Lever, V. B. Heuer,Y. Morono,N. Masui, F. Schmidt, M. J. Alperin, F. Inagaki, K.-U. Hinrichs, A. Teske (2010). Acetogenesis in deep subseafloor sediments of the Juan de Fuca Ridge Flank: a synthesis of geochemical, thermodynamic, and gene-based evidence. Geomicrobiology Journal 27 (2), 183-211.
• F. Schmidt, M. Elvert, B. Koch, M. Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs (2009). Molecular characterization of dissolved organic matter in pore water in continental shelf sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 73(11): 3337-3358.
• F. Schmidt, B.P. Koch, M. Elvert, K.-U. Hinrichs (2008). Molecular variation in dissolved organic matter in sedimentary pore waters at continental shelf systems. Geophysical Research Abstracts, 10, A-10327.

Oral & poster presentations

• F.Schmidt, H. Oberhänsli, H. Wilkes. Hydrological and biogeochemical variations in the hypersaline Lake Tswaing (South Africa) during the last 84 ka BP. 25th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry. Interlaken, September 2011. Poster
• F. Schmidt, H. Oberhänsli, H. Wilkes. Environmental changes in Lake Tswaing during the last 84 ka BP. 7th Inkaba yeAfrica Workshop, Potsdam. November 2010. Oral.
• F. Schmidt. Sources, transport and transformation of organic matter at the NW Iberian margin. University of Zürich. October 2009. Invited Talk.
• F. Schmidt, B.P. Koch, M. Elvert, M.Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs. Source variability and transformation of dissolved organic matter in sediment pore waters determined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. 24th International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry, Bremen, September 2009. Poster.
• F. Schmidt, K.-U. Hinrichs, M. Elvert.Transport and Partitioning of Organic Matter at the NW Iberian Margin. GFZ Potsdam. February 2009. Invited Talk.
• F. Schmidt, B. Koch, M. Elvert, M. Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs. Molecular characterization of dissolved organic matter in pore waters from continental shelf sediments. Gordon Research Conference for Organic Geochemistry, New Hampshire (USA). August 2008. Poster.
• F. Schmidt, B.P. Koch, M. Elvert, M. Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs: Organic matter in modern shelf sediments - source variability and transformation processes. North German Organic Geochemistry Meeting, May 2008, Oldenburg. Oral
• F. Schmidt, B.P. Koch, M. Elvert, M. Witt, K.-U. Hinrichs. Molecular variation in dissolved organic matter in sedimentary pore waters at continental shelf systems. European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2008, Vienna (Austria). April 2008. Oral.
• F. Schmidt, T. Hanebuth, K.-U. Hinrichs, M. Elvert. Organic molecular markers as indicators of transport and partitioning of organic matter at the modern Galician shelf system. Int. Conf. GV, Bremen. Oktober 2007. Poster.
• F. Schmidt, T. Hanebuth, K.-U. Hinrichs, M. Elvert. Biomarker distribution across the Galician Shelf System. 23rd International Meeting on Organic Geochemistry, Torquay (UK). September 2007. Poster.
• E. Buser, F. Schmidt, M. Hoch: Quantification of the adsorption of dibutyltin (DBT) to clay minerals and organic matter under various environmental conditions. Int. Conf. GV, September 2005, Erlangen. Poster.