Biomarkers are compounds found in crude oil with structures inherited from once-living organisms. They persist in oil spills, refinery products and archaeological artifacts, and can be used to identify the origin, geological age and environmental conditions prevalent during their formation and alteration. These two volumes will be an invaluable resource for geologists, petroleum geochemists, biogeochemists, environmental and forensic scientists, natural product chemists and archaeologists. The first of two volumes of The Biomarker Guide discusses the origins of biomarkers and introduces basic chemical principles relevant to their study. It goes on to discuss analytical techniques, and the applications of biomarkers in environmental and archaeological problems.