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Batch processing of tree-ring samples for radiocarbon analysis

Fogtmann-Schulz, Alexandra ; Kudsk, Sabrina G.K. ; Adolphi, Florian LU ; Karoff, Christoffer ; Knudsen, Mads F. ; Loader, Neil J. ; Muscheler, Raimund LU orcid ; Trant, Pernille L.K. ; Ostbo, Stine M. and Olsen, Jesper (2021) In Radiocarbon 63(1). p.77-89
Abstract

We here present a comparison of methods for the pretreatment of a batch of tree rings for high-precision measurement of radiocarbon at the Aarhus AMS Centre (AARAMS), Aarhus University, Denmark. The aim was to develop an efficient and high-Throughput method able to pretreat ca. 50 samples at a time. We tested two methods for extracting α-cellulose from wood to find the most optimal for our use. One method used acetic acid, the other used HCl acid for the delignification. The testing was conducted on background 14C samples, in order to assess the effect of the different pretreatment methods on low-Activity samples. Furthermore, the extracted wood and cellulose fractions were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy,... (More)

We here present a comparison of methods for the pretreatment of a batch of tree rings for high-precision measurement of radiocarbon at the Aarhus AMS Centre (AARAMS), Aarhus University, Denmark. The aim was to develop an efficient and high-Throughput method able to pretreat ca. 50 samples at a time. We tested two methods for extracting α-cellulose from wood to find the most optimal for our use. One method used acetic acid, the other used HCl acid for the delignification. The testing was conducted on background 14C samples, in order to assess the effect of the different pretreatment methods on low-Activity samples. Furthermore, the extracted wood and cellulose fractions were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which showed a successful extraction of α-cellulose from the samples. Cellulose samples were pretreated at AARAMS, and the graphitization and radiocarbon analysis of these samples were done at both AARAMS and the radiocarbon dating laboratory at Lund University to compare the graphitization and AMS machine performance. No significant offset was found between the two sets of measurements. Based on these tests, the pretreatment of tree rings for high-precision radiocarbon analysis at AARAMS will henceforth use HCI for the delignification.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
AMS dating, carbon, pretreatment, radiocarbon, radiocarbon AMS dating
in
Radiocarbon
volume
63
issue
1
pages
13 pages
publisher
Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85101789007
ISSN
0033-8222
DOI
10.1017/RDC.2020.119
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
431ead28-e368-46d0-a317-341446b30e89
date added to LUP
2021-12-27 14:36:28
date last changed
2023-02-21 09:59:15
@article{431ead28-e368-46d0-a317-341446b30e89,
  abstract     = {{<p>We here present a comparison of methods for the pretreatment of a batch of tree rings for high-precision measurement of radiocarbon at the Aarhus AMS Centre (AARAMS), Aarhus University, Denmark. The aim was to develop an efficient and high-Throughput method able to pretreat ca. 50 samples at a time. We tested two methods for extracting α-cellulose from wood to find the most optimal for our use. One method used acetic acid, the other used HCl acid for the delignification. The testing was conducted on background 14C samples, in order to assess the effect of the different pretreatment methods on low-Activity samples. Furthermore, the extracted wood and cellulose fractions were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which showed a successful extraction of α-cellulose from the samples. Cellulose samples were pretreated at AARAMS, and the graphitization and radiocarbon analysis of these samples were done at both AARAMS and the radiocarbon dating laboratory at Lund University to compare the graphitization and AMS machine performance. No significant offset was found between the two sets of measurements. Based on these tests, the pretreatment of tree rings for high-precision radiocarbon analysis at AARAMS will henceforth use HCI for the delignification.</p>}},
  author       = {{Fogtmann-Schulz, Alexandra and Kudsk, Sabrina G.K. and Adolphi, Florian and Karoff, Christoffer and Knudsen, Mads F. and Loader, Neil J. and Muscheler, Raimund and Trant, Pernille L.K. and Ostbo, Stine M. and Olsen, Jesper}},
  issn         = {{0033-8222}},
  keywords     = {{AMS dating; carbon; pretreatment; radiocarbon; radiocarbon AMS dating}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{77--89}},
  publisher    = {{Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)}},
  series       = {{Radiocarbon}},
  title        = {{Batch processing of tree-ring samples for radiocarbon analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2020.119}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/RDC.2020.119}},
  volume       = {{63}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}