Measurement report
on cross-talk levels obtained using
EA desiccants: Sicapent, Wetsorber and Wetsorber S
Three different types of desiccants were used for water removal during the combustion of standard samples Ox2 (oxalic acid) and blanks (PhA – phthalic acid) in Elementar’s Elemental Analyzer. The aim of the measurement was to determine the amount of carbon transferred between consecutive samples and assess whether the material is a good fit for 14C-AMS sample preparation.
Since the Sicapent material soon will be no longer available on the market, the replacement is going to be either Wetsorber (calcium chloride) or Wetsorber S (calcium chloride, aluminium oxide and magnesium perchlorate).
The combustion sequence containing the samples weights is similar for all three materials, as in the below example:
Therefore, 3 batches, each of 7 samples, corresponding to Sicapent, Wetsorber and Wetsorber S were graphitized and measured using a MICADAS system. The amount of modern carbon (F14C) found in the blanks (Figure 1), as well as the blank ages (Figure2), for each corresponding desiccant sample, were plotted function of its position with respect to the Ox2:
Conclusion: following the measurement results we found that Wetsorber S has a reduced cross-talk, similar or even better than Sicapent material, and therefore, this is our recommendation to be used in EA systems involved in 14C applications.