Radiocarbon Sample Preparation at the Circe AMS Laboratory in Caserta, Italy

Abstract

A system with several lines for the preparation of graphite targets for radiocarbon analysis has been built at the new accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility in Caserta, Italy. Special attention has been paid in the design to the reduction of background contamination during sample preparation. Here, we describe the main characteristics of these preparation lines. Results of tests performed to measure 14 C background levels and isotope fractionation in several blank samples with the Caserta AMS system are presented and discussed.