Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T01:09:02.367Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Evaluation of Direct-Precipitation and Gas-Evolution Methods for Radiocarbon Dating of Ground Water

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

In Che Yang*
Affiliation:
US Geological Survey, Mail Stop 407 PO Box 25046, Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The extraction of dissolved carbonate species for age dating from a 100L water sample by the direct-precipitation method (DPM) and by the gas-evolution method (GEM) has been investigated. Stable carbon-isotope fractionation between initial and final carbon dioxide evolved was ca 11‰ by GEM and 1‰ by DPM. GEM will produce isotopically lighter carbon dioxide compared with DPM if carbonate recovery is low. Extraction efficiency of > 95% can be achieved by GEM in 3 hours using nitrogen gas at a sweeping rate of 2000cc per minute. DPM requires precipitates to settle overnight to assure > 95% recovery. GEM is little affected by a high concentration of sulfate ions, whereas DPM is greatly affected by sulfate resulting in less yield.

Type
V. General Aspects of 14C Technique
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Buddemeier, RW, Young, AY, Fairhall, AW, and Young, JA, 1970, Improved system of methane synthesis for radiocarbon dating: Rev Sci Instruments, v 41, no. 5, p 652654.Google Scholar
Fairhall, AW, Young, AW, and Bradford, PA, 1972, Radiocarbon in the sea, in : Wellington, Royal Soc New Zealand, p C2C16.Google Scholar
Fergusson, GJ, 1963, Upper tropospheric carbon-14 levels during spring 1962: Jour Geophys Research, v 68, p 39333941.Google Scholar
Gleason, JD, Friedman, I, and Hanshaw, BB, 1969, Extraction of dissolved carbonate species from natural water for carbon-isotope analysis: US Geol Survey Prof Paper 650-D, pD248-D250.Google Scholar
Hassan, AA, 1982, Methodologies for extraction of dissolved inorganic carbon for stable carbon-isotope studies-Evaluation and alternatives: US Geol Survey Water Resources Inv, 82–6, 51p.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, Robinson, SW, and Yang, IC, 1979, Carbon-14 dating to 60,000 years BP with proportional counters, in : Berkeley, Univ California Press, p 202215.Google Scholar
Thatcher, LL, Janzer, VJ, and Edwards, KW, 1977, Carbon-14, dissolved, apparent age, liquid scintillation method, Denver Laboratory: US Geol Survey Techniques of Water Resources Inv, Bk 5, Chap A5, p 1722.Google Scholar
Yang, IC and Emerson, RL, 1980, Teflon vials for low-level carbon-14 liquid scintillation counting, in : recent applications and development: New York, Academic Press, v 2, p 181197.Google Scholar
Vogel, JC, Lerman, JC, and Mook, WG, 1975, Natural isotopes in surface and groundwater from Argentina: Bull Hydrol Sci, v 2C p 203221.Google Scholar