Laser spectroscopy: A potential versatile solution for radiocarbon analyses
Year: 2025
Authors: Guan Z.G., Zhou Y., Ling Q., Varricchio L., Detti A., Bartalini S., Chen D.R.
Autors Affiliation: Zhejiang Normal Univ, Ctr Environm & Climate Change Res, Hangzhou 311231, Peoples R China; CNR INO, Via Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; LENS, Via Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; ppqSense Srl, Viale Ariosto 492-B, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; Univ Pisa, Dept Pharm, Via Bonanno 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
Abstract: Radiocarbon (14C) measurements play important roles in dating and tracing applications where the isotopic concentration can differ from 0.1 to 106 pMC (percent modern carbon). A liquid scintillation counter cannot provide enough sensitivity when dealing with low-concentration samples of limited amounts over a reasonable time period. Accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) measures low-concentrations well but must first do dilution for high-concentration samples, and suffers from high instrument and maintenance costs. Saturated absorption CAvity Ring-down spectroscopy (SCAR) has now been developed into a practical technique with performances close to AMS but at much lower costs. The dynamic range covers 1-105 pMC, and the measurement uncertainties in the range of 0.4-1 pMC can be achieved within 0.5-2.5 hr of operation time. SCAR measures CO2 gases directly without graphitization in sample preparation. The typical sample consumption is similar to 1 mg of carbon mass and the time for sample preparation can be as short as 15 min. Applications of SCAR to Suess-effect evaluation, biogenic-component analysis, ancient- and modern-sample dating, food-fraud detection and medicine-metabolism study have all been demonstrated by employing a close-to-automatic sample preparation system.
Journal/Review: RADIOCARBON
More Information: This work is supported by PioneerandLeading Goose R&D Program of Zhejiang Province, China(Grant Nos. 2022C03084).KeyWords: applications; laser spectroscopy; radiocarbon; sample preparation; Saturated absorption CAvity Ring-down spectroscopy (SCAR)DOI: 10.1017/RDC.2025.10
