Status Report of the New AMS ¹⁴C Sample Preparation Lab of the Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies (Debrecen, Hungary)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We document chemical laboratory procedures and results on international comparison samples at the Hertelendi Laboratory of Environmental Studies, Debrecen, Hungary. We also show results using the new MICADAS system and compare these results to internationally recognized standards and blank materials. The newly developed sample preparation system in HEKAL can handle samples as 1) organic material, 2) cellulose fraction of plant, 3) bones, 4) carbonate and shell, and 5) dissolved inorganic carbon of groundwater. The results of radiocarbon measurements on intercomparison samples confirm the reliability of the sample preparation system at HEKAL Lab and also the good performance of the MICADAS 14 C system. The blank levels for each type of sample of 1 mg C carbon content are well reproducible, ~0.3-0.5 pMC.

More Rapid 14C Excursions in the Tree-Ring Record: A Record of Different Kind of Solar Activity at About 800 BC?

“…In the case of the cedar, biannual samples were combined. Each powdered sample was converted to holocellulose using standard procedures (Molnar et al 2013). Sequoia cellulose samples were combusted to CO 2 and converted to graphite and 14 C dating was performed using the 200kV MICADAS at the Institute of Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary (Molnar et al 2013).…”

“…Each powdered sample was converted to holocellulose using standard procedures (Molnar et al 2013). Sequoia cellulose samples were combusted to CO 2 and converted to graphite and 14 C dating was performed using the 200kV MICADAS at the Institute of Nuclear Research in Debrecen, Hungary (Molnar et al 2013). Sample calculation and data reduction were done using the standard BATS software (Wacker et al 2010).…”

One-Year-Long Continuous and Synchronous Data Set of Fossil Carbon in Atmospheric PM2.5 and Carbon Dioxide in Debrecen, Hungary

“…Then, copper oxide powder was inserted for the conversion of the total carbon to CO 2 gas. The CO 2 was liberated via a one-step combustion process in a high-vacuum preparation system designed for this specific purpose (Molnár et al 2013a). To avoid any contamination, all parts of this system were made of glass, quartz, and stainless steel materials.…”

Dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating of subfossil conifer logs from a peat bog, Maramureş Mts, Romania

“…Samples were pretreated by the conventional acid-alkali-acid (AAA) treatment. Measured targets were prepared using a sealed-tube graphitization method (Molnár et al, 2013a;Rinyu et al, 2013). The Debrecen, Hungary (Molnár et al, 2013b).…”