Various branched and cyclic hydrocarbons are isolated from the Fushun oil shale and their carbon isotopes are determined. The analytical results show that the branched and cyclic hydrocarbons are fully separated from n-alkanes by 5 molecular-sieve adduction using long time and cold solvent. The branched and cyclic hydrocarbon frac-tion obtained by this method is able to satisfy the analytic requests of GC-IRMS. The carbon isotopic compositions of these branched and cyclic hydrocarbons obtained from the sample indicate that they are derived from photoautotrophic algae, chemoautotrophic bacteria (-33.4—-39.0) and methanotrophic bacteria (-38.4—-46.3). However the long-chain 2-methyl-branched alkanes indicate that their carbon isotopic compositions reflect biological origin from higher plants. The carbon isotopic composition of C30 4-methyl sterane (-22.1? is the heaviest in all studied ste- ranes, showing that the carbon source or growth condition for its precursor, dinoflagellate, may be different from that of regular steranes. The variation trend of d 13C values between isomers of hopanes shows that 13C-enriched precursors take precedence in process of their epimerization. Methanotro-phic hopanes presented reveal the processes of strong trans-formation of organic matter and cycling of organic carbon in the water column and early diagenesis of oil shale. Various branched and cyclic hydrocarbons are from the Fushun oil shale and their carbon isotopes are determined. The analytical results show that the branched and cyclic hydrocarbons are fully separated from n-alkanes by 5 molecular-sieve adduction using long time and cold solvent. The branched and cyclic hydrocarbon frac-tion obtained by this method is able to satisfy the analytic requests of GC-IRMS. The carbon isotopic compositions of these branched and cyclic hydrocarbons obtained from the sample indicate that they are derived from photoautotrophic algae, chemoautotrophic bacteria (- 33.4-39.0) and methanotrophic bacteria (-38.4--46.3). However the long-chain 2-methyl-branched alkanes indicate that their carbon isotopic compositions reflect biological origin from higher plants. The carbon isotopic composition of C30 4-methyl sterane (-22.1? Is the heaviest in all studied ste- ranes, showing that the carbon source or growth condition for its precursor, dinoflagellate, m ay be different from that of regular steranes. The variation trend of d 13C values ​​between isomers of hopanes shows that 13C-enriched precursors take precedence in process of their epimerization. Methanotro-phic hopanes presented reveal the processes of strong trans-formation of organic matter and cycling of organic carbon in the water column and early diagenesis of oil shale.