Lipid compositions preserved in stalagmites have significant potential for use in
reconstruction of global climate change and regional vegetation cover, but the low organic
content of stalagmites poses a problem both for clean extraction and for obtaining a high
temporal resolution in palaeoenvironmental records. Here, we present an acid digestion
method optimised for cleanliness and maximum lipid recovery. The use of acid digestion
and hydrolysis improves lipid yields not only by releasing organic matter trapped within …