Hostname: page-component-76c49bb84f-sz5hq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-07-06T19:31:27.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluation and Status of Liquid Scintillation Counting for Radiocarbon Dating∗

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Henry A Polach
Henry A Polach*
Affiliation:
Radiocarbon Dating Research, Australian National University, Canberra
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

An international review of liquid scintillation low-level counting procedures and instrumentation made it possible to assess in detail those elements which lead to high-precision liquid scintillation radiocarbon dating with a Figure of Merit of 32,000. Current research is documented and future possibilities are alluded to.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 29 , Issue 1 , 1987 , pp. 1 - 11
Copyright
Copyright © The American Journal of Science 

References

Alessio, M, Allegri, L, Bella, F and Improta, S, 1976, Study of background characteristics by means of high efficiency liquid scintillation counter: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 137, p 537–543.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnold, J R, 1958, Archaeology and chemistry, in Bell, C G Jr and Hayes, F N, eds, Liquid scintillation counting: London, Pergamon Press, p 129.Google Scholar
Anderson, E C, Arnold, J R and Libby, W F, 1951, Measurement of low level radiocarbon: Rev Sci Instruments, v 22, p 225–230.Google Scholar
Barker, H, 1953, Radiocarbon dating: large scale preparation of acetylene from organic material: Nature, v 1 72, p 631–632.Google Scholar
Berthold, F, 1980, A new approach to automatic photomultiplier stabilization for photon and scintillation counters, in Peng, C-T, Horrocks, D L and Alpen, E L, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent applications and development: New York, Academic Press, p 273–280.Google Scholar
Birks, J B, 1974, Towards an understanding of the scintillation process in organic molecular systems, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent developments: London, Academic Press, p 1–38.Google Scholar
Birks, J B and Poullis, G G, 1972, Liquid scintillators, in Crook, M A, Johnson, P and Scales, B, eds, Liquid scintillation counting: London, Heyden & Sons, v 2, p 1–21.Google Scholar
Broda, R and Radoszewski, T, 1982, Scintillation detector with anticoincidence shield for determination of radioactive concentration of standard solutions, in Povinec, P, ed, Low-level counting, Internatl conf on low radioactivities 1980, Proc: Bratislava, VEDA, v 8, 329–333.Google Scholar
Burleigh, R, Hewson, A D and Matthews, K J, 1977, Synthesis of benzene for low-level 14C measurement: a review, in Crook, M A and Johnson, P, eds, Liquid scintillation counting: London, Heyden & Sons, v 5, p 205–209.Google Scholar
Butterfield, D and Polach, H A, 1983, Effect of vial holder materials and design on low-level 14C scintillation counting, in McQuarric, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 468–477.Google Scholar
Calf, G E, 1969, Teflon vials for liquid scintillation counting of tritium samples: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 20, p 611–612.Google Scholar
Calf, G E and Airey, P L, 1982, Liquid scintillation counting of carbon-14 in a heavy shielded site, in Ambrose, W and Duerden, P, Archaeometry: an Australian perspective: Canberra, ANU Press, p 351–356.Google Scholar
Calf, G E and Polach, H A, 1974, Teflon vials for liquid scintillation counting of carbon-14 samples, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent developments: London, Academic Press, p 223–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eichinger, L, Rauert, W, Salvamoser, J and Wolf, M, 1980, Large-volume liquid scintillation counting of carbon-14, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 2, p 417–427.Google Scholar
Erikson, K R, Winn, R W and Horrocks, D L, 1983, The optics of LS counting, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 90–105.Google Scholar
Garfinkel, S B, Manni, W B, Medlock, R W and Yura, O, 1965, The calibration of the National Bureau of Standards tritiated standard of radioactivity: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 16, p 27–33.Google Scholar
Gordon, B E, Press, M, Erwin, W and Lemmon, R M, 1976, An interface for routine spectral display from several liquid scintillation counters, in Nouajaim, A A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Liquid scintillation counting science and technology: New York, Academic Press, p 173–183.Google Scholar
Gulliksen, S and Nydal, R, 1979, Further improvement of counter background and shielding, in Berger, R and Suess, H, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl 14C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley/Los Angeles, Univ California Press, p 176–184.Google Scholar
Gupta, S K and Polach, H A, 1985, Radiocarbon dating practices at ANU: Garran ACT, Radiocarbon Dating Research.Google Scholar
Haas, H, 1979, Specific problems with liquid scintillation counting of small benzene volumes and background countrate estimation, in Berger, R and Suess, H, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl 14C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley/Los Angeles, Univ California Press, p 246–255.Google Scholar
Horroks, D S, 1974, Application of liquid scintillation counting: New York, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Iwakura, T, Kasida, Y, Inoue, Y and Tokunaga, N, 1979, A low background liquid scintillation counter for measuring low level tritium, in Behaviour of tritium in the environment: Vienna, IAEA, p 163–171.Google Scholar
Jiang, H, Lu, S, Fu, S, Zhang, W, Zhang, T, Ye, Y, Li, M, Fu, P, Wang, S, Peng, C and Jiang, P, 1983, Model DYS low-level liquid scintillation counter, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 478–493.Google Scholar
Kananen, K, Ala-Uotila, M, Oikari, T and Soini, E, 1984, A study of the effect of humidity and the use of an ioniser on static electricity using an LKB-Wallac 1211 RackBeta liquid scintillation counter: Turku, Wallac Rept, p 3–9.Google Scholar
Kim, S M, 1971, Low level liquid scintillation counting and evaluation of counting solutions of 14C and 3H, in Horrocks, D L and Peng, C-T, eds, Organic scintillators and liquid scintillation counting: London, Academic Press, p 965–976.Google Scholar
Kojola, H, Polach, H, Nurmi, J, Heinonen, A, Oikari, T and Soini, E, in press, Low level liquid scintillation spectrometer for β-counting, in Nordic conf on application of scientific methods in archaeology, Proc: ISKOS.Google Scholar
Kojola, H, Polach, H, Nurmi, J, Oikari, T and Soini, E, 1984, High resolution low level liquid scintillation β-spectrometer: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 35, p 949–952.Google Scholar
Kuc, T and Rozanski, K, 1978, A small volume Teflon-copper vial for 4C low level liquid scintillation counting: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 30, p 452–454.Google Scholar
Laney, B H, 1971, Electronic rejection of optical cross talk in twin phototube scintillation counters, in Horrocks, D L and Peng, C-T, Organic scintillators and liquid scintillation counting: New York, Academic Press, p 991–1003.Google Scholar
McDowell, L L and Ryan, M E, 1965, USDA Sedimentation Laboratory radiocarbon dates I: Radiocarbon, v 7, p 174–178.Google Scholar
Mook, W G, 1983, International comparison of proportional gas counters for 14C activity measurements, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 11 th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 474–484.Google Scholar
Noakes, J E, 1977, Considerations for achieving low level radioactivity measurements with liquid scintillation counters, in Crook, M A and Johnson, P, eds, Liquid scintillation counting: London, Heyden & Sons, v 4, p 189–206.Google Scholar
Noakes, J E, Isbell, A F, Stipp, J J and Hood, D W, 1963, Benzene synthesis by low temperature catalysis for radiocarbon dating: Geochim et Cosmochim Acta, v 27, p 797–804.Google Scholar
Noakes, J E, Kim, S M and Stipp, J J, 1965, Chemical and counting advances in liquid scintillation counting, in Chatters, R M and Olson, E A, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 6th, Proc: Clearinghouse for Fed Sci & Tech Inf, Natl Bur Standards, Washington, DC, p 68–92.Google Scholar
Noakes, J E, Neary, M P and Spaulding, J D, 1973, Tritium measurements with a new liquid scintillation counter: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 109, p 177–187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noakes, J E, Neary, M P and Spaulding, J D, 1974, A new liquid scintillation counter for measurement of trace amounts of 3H and 14C, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent developments: London, Academic Press, p 53–66.Google Scholar
Oeschger, H, Lehmann, B, Loosli, H H, Moell, M, Neftel, A, Schotterer, U and Zumbrunn, R, 1979, Recent progress in low level counting and other isotope detection methods, in Berger, R and Suess, H, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl 14C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley/Los Angeles, Univ California Press, p 147–157.Google Scholar
Painter, K, 1974, Choice of counting vials for liquid scintillation: a review, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent developments: London, Academic Press, p 431–451.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Panarello, H O, Albero, M C and Angiolini, F E, 1983, Stable isotope fractionation during benzene synthesis for radiocarbon dating, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 11th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 25, no. 2, p 529–532.Google Scholar
Pietig von, F and Scharpenseel, H W, 1964, Alterbestimmung mit Flüssigkeits-Scintillations-Spectrometer. Über die Wirksamkeit von Abschirmungsabnahme: Atompraxis, v 7, p 1–3.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, 1969, Optimisation of liquid scintillation radiocarbon age determinations and reporting of results: Atomic Energy in Australia, v 12, p 21–28.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, 1974, Application of liquid scintillation spectrometers to radiocarbon dating, in Stanley, P E and Scoggins, B A, eds, Liquid scintillation counting, recent developments: London, Academic Press, p 153–171.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, Gower, J and Frazer, I, 1972, Synthesis of high purity benzene for radiocarbon dating by the liquid scintillation method, in Rafter, T A and Taylor, T, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 8th, Proc: Wellington, Royal Soc New Zealand, v 1, p 145–157.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, Gower, J, Kojola, H and Heinonen, A, 1983a, An ideal vial and cocktail for low-level scintillation counting, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 508–525.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, Kojola, H, Nurmi, J and Soini, E, 1984a, Multiparameter liquid scintillation spectrometry, in Wölfli, W, Polach, H and Andersen, H H, eds, Accelerator mass spectrometry, AMS 1984: Nuclear Instruments & Methods, v 233[B5], p 439–442.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, Nurmi, J, Kojola, H and Soini, E, 1983b, Electronic optimisation of scintillation counters for detection of low-level 3H and 14C, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 420–441.Google Scholar
Polach, H A, Robertson, S, Butterfield, D, Gower, J and Soini, E, 1984b, The ‘Windowless’ approach to scintillation counting: low-level 14C as an example, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, G and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 494–507.Google Scholar
Polach, H A and Stipp, J J, 1967, Improved synthesis techniques for methane and benzene radiocarbon dating: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 18, p 359–364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Punning, J M and Rajamae, R, 1975, Some possibilities for decreasing the background of liquid scintillation beta-ray counters, in Povinec, P and Usacev, S, eds, Low-radioactivity measurements and applications: Bratislava: Slov Pedagog Nakladatelstvo, p 169–171.Google Scholar
Ring, J C, Nguyen, D C and Everett, L J, 1980, Liquid scintillation counting from gross counts to spectral analysis, in Peng, C-T, Horrocks, D L and Alpen, E L, Liquid scintillation counting, recent applications and development: New York, Academic Press, v 1, p 89–104.Google Scholar
Schotterer, U and Oeschger, H, 1980, Low-level liquid scintillation counting in an underground laboratory, in Stuiver, M and Kra, R S, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 10th, Proc: Radiocarbon, v 22, no. 2, p 505–511.Google Scholar
Soini, E, 1975a, Stabilisation of photomultiplier tubes in liquid scintillation counters: Rev Sci Instruments, v 46, p 980–984.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soini, E, 1975b, Rejection of optical cross-talk in photomultiplier tubes in liquid scintillation counters: Turku, Finland, Wallac Rept, p 1–9.Google Scholar
Soini, E, 1977, Chemiluminescence monitoring in liquid scintillation counting: Turku, Finland, Wallac Rept, p 3–8.Google Scholar
Spaulding, J D and Noakes, J E, 1983, An evaluation of microchannel plate photomultipliers for liquid scintillation counting, in McQuarrie, S A, Ediss, C and Wiebe, L I, eds, Advances in scintillation counting: Alberta, Univ Alberta Press, p 112–122.Google Scholar
Starik, I E, Arslanov, Kh A and Klener, I R, 1963, Improved procedure for chemical preparation of samples for radiocarbon dating by the scintillation method: Soviet Radiochemistry, v5, p 174–180.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M, Robinson, S W and Yang, I C, 1979, 14C dating to 60,000 years BP with proportional counters, in Berger, R and Suess, H, eds, Radiocarbon dating, Internatl C conf, 9th, Proc: Berkeley/Los Angeles, Univ California Press, p 202–215.Google Scholar
Suess, H E, 1954, Natural radiocarbon measurements by acetylene counting: Science, v 120, p 5–7.Google Scholar
Swart, E R, 1964, The direct conversion of wood charcoal to lithium carbide in the production of acetylene for radiocarbon dating: Experientia, v 20, p 47–48.Google Scholar
Tamers, M A, 1965a, Chemical yield optimisation of benzene synthesis for radiocarbon dating: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 26, p 676–682.Google Scholar
Tamers, M A, 1965b, Routine carbon-14 dating using liquid scintillation techniques, in Chatters, R M and Olson, E A, eds, Internatl 14C conf, 6th, Proc: Clearinghouse for Fed Sci & Tech Inf, Natl Bur Standards, Washington, DC, USAEC, CONF-650652, p 53–67.Google Scholar
Tamers, M A, 1975, Chemical yield optimisation of benzene synthesis for radiocarbon dating: Internatl Jour Appl Radiation Isotopes, v 26, p 676–682.Google Scholar
Tamers, M A and Bibron, R, 1963, Benzene method measures tritium in rain without isotope enrichment: Nucleonics, v 21, p 90–94.Google Scholar
Williams, P H and Florkowski, T, 1967, Comparison of Triton-X emulsion systems with dioxane solutions in liquid scintillation counting of low-level tritium, in Radioactive dating and methods of low-level counting: Vienna, IAEA, p 703–709.Google Scholar