Progress in AMS target production in sub-milligram samples at the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory

Ertunc, T., Xu, S., Bryant, C. L., Maden, C., Murray, C. , Currie, M. and Freeman, S. T. (2005) Progress in AMS target production in sub-milligram samples at the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory. Radiocarbon, 47(3), pp. 453-464.

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Abstract

. Recent progress in graphite target production for sub-milligram environmental samples in our facility is presented. We describe an optimized hydrolysis procedure now routinely used for the preparation of CO2 from inorganic samples, a new high-vacuum line dedicated to small sample processing (combining sample distillation and graphitization units), as well as a modified graphitization procedure. Although measurements of graphite targets as small as 35 µg C have been achieved, system background and measurement uncertainties increase significantly below 150 µg C. As target lifetime can become critically short for targets <150 µg C, the facility currently only processes inorganic samples down to 150 µg C. All radiocarbon measurements are made at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility. Sample processing and analysis are labor-intensive, taking approximately 3 times longer than samples ≥500 µg C. The technical details of the new system, graphitization yield, fractionation introduced during the process, and the system blank are discussed in detail.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Bryant, Dr Charlotte and Xu, Dr Sheng and Freeman, Professor Stewart and Murray, Mr Callum and Currie, Mrs Margaret and Ertunc, Dr Tanya
Authors: Ertunc, T., Xu, S., Bryant, C. L., Maden, C., Murray, C., Currie, M., and Freeman, S. T.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
Journal Name:Radiocarbon
Publisher:University of Arizona
ISSN:0033-8222
ISSN (Online):1945-5755
Published Online:01 January 2005
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2005 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona
First Published:First published in Radiocarbon 47(3):4543-464
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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