Small Sample Radiocarbon Dating

Background

A huge number of C-14 dating samples are either relatively small or their material contains a low concentration of carbon, dated with limited sample mass. In both cases, conventional radiocarbon dating results in small portions of benzene.

Solutions

• •Application of modern benzene line allows working with samples for which it is possible to synthesize 100–200 mg of benzene at high chemical yield.
• •Hydrolysis module (See p. 4.2 of specification) allows applying capsule technology to produce lithium carbide.
• •Capsule technology — allows preparing a few samples in the same process. Each sample is hermetic and can be stored.
• •Anti-radon module decreases time of sample stabilization before counting.

Teflon Vial Performances

Counting performance: FOM vs Background

The current design includes Teflon vials in volumes of 0.8 ml, 1.5 ml, 2.5 ml, 4.0 ml and 7.0 ml. Vial performance and benzene retention depend on the complete vial, holder and measurement configuration.

Application of underground laboratory (Plastino and Kaihola, 2006) can significantly decrease counting background. Special glass vials (Hogg, 1992) cover 0.3 ml to 10 ml range.

Producing Benzene (Small Sample)

1. Capsule technology — produces carbide highly productively. Allows simplification of the entire scheme because of highly pure carbide.
2. Microliner thermodestruction technology — a direct thermal-processing approach for selected sample materials under the conditions of the described method.