Routine quality assurance in the SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory

Tripney, B.G. , Dunbar, E. , Scott, E.M. and Naysmith, P. (2023) Routine quality assurance in the SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory. Radiocarbon, (doi: 10.1017/RDC.2023.45) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

The SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory reports approximately 3000 unknown samples per year with an additional 1200 samples processed for quality assurance purposes. In addition to the primary OxII standard (SRM-4990C) required for AMS batch normalization, secondary “known-age” standards have been used over many years to evaluate individual batch quality. These have included wood (as prepared alpha-cellulose), barley mash, humic acid, a background mammoth bone, known-age bones, and a whisky sample. In this paper, we present some of the results gathered over routine laboratory operation (for more than 10 years) and examine the results illustrating how they are being used to monitor and quality assure performance. Since many of these samples have also been used in the Glasgow intercomparisons, we will also reflect on the results, as well as the actual and potential uses of such samples.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Tripney, Dr Brian and Naysmith, Mr Phillip and Scott, Professor Marian and Dunbar, Dr Elaine
• Authors: Tripney, B.G., Dunbar, E., Scott, E.M., and Naysmith, P.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Statistics; College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Radiocarbon
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• ISSN: 0033-8222
• ISSN (Online): 1945-5755
• Published Online: 06 July 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Radiocarbon 2023
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy