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Assessment of 0.3-ml Minivials for Radiocarbon Dating by Liquid Scintillation Counting of Benzene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

A. G. Hogg
A. G. Hogg*
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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Abstract

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I have made an evaluation of 0.3-ml minivials for 14C dating of small samples by liquid scintillation counting of benzene. A calibrated wood standard was diluted by varying amounts of ancient CO2, with synthesized benzene counted in both conventional 3.0-ml vials and 0.3-ml minivials in a 1220 Quantulus. The accuracy and precision of results are compared for samples ranging in weight from 50 to 240 mg of carbon. I examined two significant potential problems associated with handling small samples, namely, memory effects within the vacuum system, and signal within the dilution gas. Although accurate radiocarbon dates can be obtained using either standard vials or minivials, minivials are more suitable for dating small samples because they are less influenced by these sources of error.

Type
I. Sample Preparation and Measurement Techniques
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 34 , Issue 3: Proceedings of the 14th International Radiocarbon Conference , 1992 , pp. 389 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

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