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Measurement of Low 14C Activities in a Liquid Scintillation Counter in the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Nada Horvatinčić ,
Jadranka Barešić ,
Ines Krajcar Bronić  and
Bogomil Obelić
Nada Horvatinčić*
Affiliation:
Rudjer Bošković Institute, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
Jadranka Barešić
Affiliation:
Rudjer Bošković Institute, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
Ines Krajcar Bronić*
Affiliation:
Rudjer Bošković Institute, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
Bogomil Obelić
Affiliation:
Rudjer Bošković Institute, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
*
Email: Nada.Horvatincic@irb.hr.
Corresponding author. Email: krajcar@irb.hr.
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Abstract

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Two methods of chemical preparation of radiocarbon samples are implemented in the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory for measurement by a new liquid scintillation counter (LSC), Quantulus 1220™: a CO2 absorption method (LSC-A) and a benzene synthesis method (LSC-B). For samples prepared by both methods, the optimal counting windows for measurement in LSC were determined. The total efficiency of LSC-A is 65% and that of the LSC-B is 83%, while the corresponding 14C dating limits are 31,800 yr and 52,160 yr, respectively.

14C activities measured by the LSC-A and LSC-B methods were compared with those measured by the gas proportional counter (GPC) method (efficiency 75%, 14C dating limit 37,500 yr). The results obtained by the LSC-A method have larger errors than those measured by the GPC method, but LSC-A is quick, inexpensive, simple, and requires less carbon than the GPC method. Thus, LSC-A is suitable for 14C measurements of geological, hydrological, and environmental samples. On the other hand, the results obtained by the LSC-B method give smaller errors and a larger 14C dating range. Therefore, LSC-B is more suitable for 14C dating of archaeological samples.

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 46 , Issue 1: Proceedings of the 18th International Radiocarbon Conference (Part 1 of 2), Conference Editors: Nancy Beavan Athfield, Rodger J Sparks , 2004 , pp. 105 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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