Determination of carbon 12C and 14C in plant and soil

A modified wet-combustion method is described for the determination of organic and/or inorganic carbon and 12C and 14C in soil and plant samples. The digestion apparatus allows for complete mixing of soil or plant materials with the digestion mixture and permits a wide range of digestion temperatures. The method also allows for trapping CO2 in ethanolamine which can be counted in toto for more accurate counting of low radioactivity samples. Results for plant and soil 12C and 14C are compared to those obtained by a previous wet-combustion method. (U.K.)