Nonbiogenic

Nonbiogenic refers to anything that is not derived from living organisms. In biology, the term describes substances, materials, or processes that do not originate from metabolic activity or organisms. It stands in contrast to biogenic, which denotes products or activities produced by living beings.

In geology and environmental science, nonbiogenic materials contrast with biogenic ones. Nonbiogenic sediments or minerals form through abiotic chemical or physical processes, such as inorganic precipitation of carbonate minerals from supersaturated waters, silica deposition in hydrothermal systems, or rocks formed without direct biological templates. Biogenic carbonates, like shells and corals, are produced by molluscs and corals; nonbiogenic carbonates form inorganically.

In atmospheric and planetary science, nonbiogenic (or abiotic) gases or compounds arise without biological activity. Abiotic methane is of particular interest and can be produced by high-temperature reactions, catalytic processes such as Fischer–Tropsch-type synthesis, or serpentinization. These mechanisms offer plausible methane sources for early Earth and other planets, though distinguishing abiotic from biotic methane in natural settings remains challenging.

In environmental investigations, distinguishing biogenic and nonbiogenic sources aids carbon budgeting, pollution source tracing, and ecological assessments. For example, emissions of carbon dioxide or methane may be categorized by whether organisms are directly involved, or whether the production occurs through purely chemical or physical pathways.

Limitations: The boundary between biogenic and nonbiogenic is not always clear. Some substances or gases may have both biotic and abiotic formation pathways, with varying contributions across space and time. The term is context-dependent and widely used in geology, geochemistry, atmospheric science, and ecology. See also Abiotic, Biogenic, Chemoautotrophy, Serpentinization, Fischer–Tropsch process.