Procedure for Preparing Samples for AMS Radiocarbon Dating

Items Needed

• hot plate
• 1N HCl
• 1M NaOH
• ultrapure H₂O

Procedure

1. heat 250 ml beaker that are 1/2 filled with water to 90°C on hotplate
2. place sample in labeled glass vial, and place vial in hot bath
3. add enough 1N HCl to cover all of the sediment
4. leave sample on hot plate in acid for 30 minutes
5. remove from hotplate and carefully pipette off acid
6. add NaOH and place back on hot plate
7. after 15 minutes, remove from heat and carefully pipette off NaOH
8. repeat #6.
9. repeat # 6 until supernatant is clear—this may take 6 or more NaOH leaches
10. repeat step #3
11. rinse with ultrapure H₂O
12. add a few ml of HCl to sample and dilute with ultrapure water until sample is covered in solution.