# Determination of radiocarbon in environmental objects

## TL;DR

The paper studies how radiocarbon is distributed in soil, plants, and water near a nuclear test site in Degelen.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of a new automated system for measuring radiocarbon in environmental samples.

## Key findings

- Radiocarbon was found to be unevenly distributed in environmental samples.
- The Pyrolyser-6 Trio system proved effective for 14C determination in environmental matrices.

## Abstract

This article presents the results of radiocarbon distribution in natural components of ‘Degelen’ test location. It was used to conduct underground nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Near-entry areas with water inflows were selected for research. Soil, plant and water samples were taken, in which the radiocarbon content was determined. The 14С activity concentration was determined using a highly sensitive alpha-beta radiometer SL-300 (ISO 13162, 2021). Sample preparation was carried out using a modern automated system Pyrolyser-6 Trio (Raddec International Ltd, UK). In the course of research undertaken, radiocarbon was revealed to be nonuniformly distributed in environmental objects. The effectiveness of Pyrolyser-6 Trio calcination and ashing system for 14C determination in environmental matrices has been demonstrated.