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Related Experiment Videos

Radiocarbon dating using electrostatic accelerators: negative ions provide the key.

C L Bennett, R P Beukens, M R Clover

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |November 4, 1977
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Mass spectrometry can now measure carbon-14 (¹⁴C) dating ratios more accurately. Using negative ions and a tandem accelerator eliminates nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N) interference, enabling precise detection of ¹⁴C.

    Area of Science:

    • Geochronology
    • Analytical Chemistry
    • Physics

    Background:

    • Mass spectrometry is a proposed method for determining carbon-14 (¹⁴C) to carbon-12 (¹²C) ratios for radiocarbon dating.
    • A significant challenge in this method is differentiating between nitrogen-14 (¹⁴N) and ¹⁴C.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To overcome the challenge of distinguishing between ¹⁴N and ¹⁴C in mass spectrometric measurements for radiocarbon dating.
    • To demonstrate the effectiveness of using negative ions and a tandem electrostatic accelerator for precise ¹⁴C/¹²C ratio measurements.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilizing negative ions in a mass spectrometry setup.
    • Employing a tandem electrostatic accelerator to enhance ion manipulation and detection.
    • Measuring ¹⁴C/¹²C ratios with high precision.

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    Main Results:

    • The use of negative ions effectively eliminates the ¹⁴N background.
    • The tandem electrostatic accelerator facilitates the detection of minimal ¹⁴C concentrations.
    • Fewer than three ¹⁴C atoms per 10¹⁶ atoms of ¹²C were easily measured, indicating high sensitivity and accuracy.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed mass spectrometric method, utilizing negative ions and a tandem electrostatic accelerator, successfully distinguishes ¹⁴C from ¹⁴N.
    • This technique significantly improves the accuracy and sensitivity of radiocarbon dating by enabling precise measurement of ¹⁴C/¹²C ratios.