title: Measurements of Carbon-14 With Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy.
abstract: Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is the most sensitive method for quantitation of14C in biological samples. This technology has been used in a variety of low dose, human health related studies over the last 20 years when very high sensitivity was needed. AMS helped pioneer these scientific methods, but its expensive facilities and requirements for highly trained technical staff have limited their proliferation. Quantification of14C by cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) offers an approach that eliminates many of the shortcomings of an accelerator-based system and would supplement the use of AMS in biomedical research. Our initial prototype, using a non-ideal wavelength laser and under suboptimal experimental conditions, has a 3.5-modern, 1-σprecision for detection of milligram-sized, carbon-14-elevated samples. These results demonstrate proof of principle and provided a starting point for the development of a spectrometer capable of biologically relevant sensitivities.
authors.affiliation: Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McCartt
authors.affiliation: Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ognibene
authors.affiliation: Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bench
authors.affiliation: Biology and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Turteltaub
keywords: CRDS; carbon-14; spectroscopy