ABSTRACT
Objective To optimize the measurement and analysis method for carbon-14 in environmental biological samples, and to provide technical support for the formulation of standard methods for carbon-14 measurement in environmental biological samples. Methods Through the optimization research on the carbon dioxide absorption method, the moisture content and carbon content of biological samples were measured with the moisture meter and the element analyzer according to the simplified personnel operation and the optimized process steps of the method, and intra- and inter-laboratory validation of the method was carried out. Results Under typical conditions, the lower limit of detection of the method reached 3 Bq/kg, and there were a relative standard deviation within laboratories of less than 17% and a relative standard deviation between laboratories of less than 14%, with a relative error of less than 19%. Most of the sample pretreatment was directly completed by the instrument and equipment, which improved the precision and accuracy of the measurement of moisture content and carbon content in samples, and reduced the influence of experiment personnel’s operation differences on the test results. Conclusion The lower limit of detection, precision, and accuracy of the optimized method meet the relevant requirements for the determination of carbon-14 in biological samples.