Simple method for C-14 analysis in organic material and its distribution in forest and cultivated field

Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko  ; Amano, Hikaru

Because of the long radioactive half-life of C-14, fallout C-14 from former nuclear weapon-tests still remains in soil, and there is a C-14 flux from the soil surface to the atmosphere [1]. Patterns of C-14 enrichment in soil profiles provide important information for estimating carbon turnover and carbon flux from soil. A simple analytical method of C-14 measurement has been developed for measuring C-14 distribution in the terrestrial environment. C-14 specific activities in plants and soils in a forest and a cultivated field were measured by this method. The data were made available to assess the behavior of fallout C-14 in the surface environment.