Sources of Radon Contamination in 14 C Dating

Bibliographic Data

ID9245141
AuthorsNada Horvatinčić, Bogomil Obelić, Ines Krajcar Bronić (0000-0002-6534-4125), Dušan Srdoč, Romana Bistrovič
Year1995
Volume37
Issue2
Pages749-757
Publication date1995-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200031295
OpenAlexW2509575181
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited9

We investigated the effect of radon ( 222 Rn) contamination of samples and chemicals used for sample preparation and gas purification on the 14 C age of samples. Radon count rate was monitored over several 222 Rn half-lives in a proportional counter filled with methane. We analyzed ca. 240 samples of fossil and recent wood, charcoal, bone, dissolved inorganic carbon in water, travertine, peat, aquatic plants, organic soil and atmospheric CO 2 for 222 Rn contamination. Chemicals used for gas purification (MnO 2 , Mg(ClO 4 ) 2 ), ruthenium-coated pellets used for catalytic reduction of CO 2 to CH 4 , and acids used for dissolution of calcareous samples (HCl and H 3 PO 4 ) are also potential sources of Rn. Most geological samples contained a significant amount of Rn, as opposed to samples of wood, charcoal, aquatic plants and atmospheric CO 2 . We also studied Rn contamination of water samples during tritium activity measurements in a CH 4 -filled gas proportional counter. We found an increased count rate in the 3 H channel, as well as above the 20 keV region in Rn-contaminated groundwater samples

Charcoal · Contamination · Dissolution · Groundwater · Mineralogy · Radiochemistry · Radium · Radon · Chemistry · Environmental Science · Nuclear Physics and Applications · Radioactive contamination and transfer · Radioactivity and Radon Measurements · Environmental Chemistry · Geology

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access