Exploring different methods of cellulose extraction for 14C dating

Abstract

In this study we aim to identify the optimal cellulose extraction protocol for ¹⁴C dating of wood, with a focus on glacial trees. To achieve this, we compare three cellulose extraction methods on the basis of cellulose yield and ¹⁴C age. The study is conducted on 12 wood samples of different species, in varying states of preservation with ages covering the full ¹⁴C age range. Cellulose is extracted from each sample following three different protocols selected from the literature: ABA-B, BABAB and 2Chlorox. The extracted cellulose was graphitised and dated with the MICADAS (Mini Carbon Dating System) at the ETH AMS laboratory. Although all three methods are considered efficient, the BABAB protocol, despite being a more aggressive procedure, allows the extraction of a sufficient amount of cellulose to be ¹⁴C dated and leads to the most reliable results, particularly for very old and background samples (samples with ¹⁴C content of zero).