Testing the Methods for Determination of Radiocarbon Content in Liquid Fuels in the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory

Abstract

Determining the biocomponents in liquid fuels using radiocarbon radioisotope (14C) dating requires sample preparation adaptations to the conditions of the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory. Liquid scintillation counting (LSC), and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) were investigated using six samples, including one 14C-free fuel and modern hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO). For AMS, samples were prepared using tin capsules for liquids for EA combustion and graphitization in an AGE system. For LSC, liquid fuels were prepared by mixing with purified preheated sand and a benzene synthesis line. Benzene resublimation was also tested. IRMS measurements were also conducted for benzene to account for isotopic fractionation. Sample background measurements using both methods showed good performances by both AMS and LSC without resublimation. Comparable results were also obtained for HVO.

Determination of Radiocarbon Content in Bio-Oil Samples by Mini Carbon Dating System in the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory

“…To investigate the environmental changes that may be caused by the use of fuels in the member states of the EU, the isotope methods are being developed in several laboratories to determine the biocomponent contents in liquid fuels (Oinonen et al, 2010;Khundadze et al, 2022). In the Gliwice Radiocarbon and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, a part of chronological purposes in geology and archaeology, the radiocarbon radioisotope ( 14 C) method is being used to determine the content of biocarbon in both solid and liquid samples such as liquid fuels using the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) (Baranyika et al, 2022).…”