Changes in 14C activity over time during vacuum distillation of carbon from rock pore water

Radiocarbon
By:  and 

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Abstract

The radiocarbon activity of carbon collected by vacuum distillation from a single partially saturated tuff began to decline after approximately 60% of the water and carbon had been extracted. Disproportionate changes in 14C activity and δ13C during distillation rule out simple isotopic fractionation as a causative explanation. Additional phenomena such as matrix diffusion and ion exclusion in micropores may play a role in altering the isotopic value of extracted carbon, but neither can fully account for the observed changes. The most plausible explanation is that distillation recovers carbon from an adsorbed phase that is depleted in 14C relative to DIC in the bulk pore water.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Changes in 14C activity over time during vacuum distillation of carbon from rock pore water
Series title Radiocarbon
DOI 10.1017/S0033822200019494
Volume 41
Issue 2
Publication Date July 18, 2016
Year Published 1999
Language English
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Description 8 p.
First page 141
Last page 148
Additional publication details