A new ramped pyroxidation/combustion facility at ¹⁴CHRONO, Belfast: setup description and initial results

The Belfast Ramped Pyroxidation/Combustion (RPO/RC) facility was established at the 14CHRONO Centre (Queen’s University Belfast). Thefacility was created to provide targeted analysis of bulk material forrefined chronological analysis and carbon source attribution for a rangeof sample types. Here we report initial RPO results, principally onbackground material, but also including secondary standards that areroutinely analysed at 14CHRONO. A description of our setup,methodology, and background (blank) correction method for the rig areprovided. The backgrounds (anthracite, spar calcite, Pargas marble)reported by the system are in excess of 35,000 14C years BP with amean age of 39,345 14C years BP (1σ = 36,497- 43,800 years BP,N=44). Initial results for standards are also in good agreement withconsensus values: TIRI-B pine radiocarbon age = 4482 ± 47 years BP(N=13, consensus = 4508 years BP); IAEA-C6 ANU Sucrose F14C=1.5036 ± .0034 (N=10, consensus F14C = 1.503). These initial testshave allowed problematic issues to be identified and improvements madefor future analyses.