• Test results are expressed as a fraction of sample mass or total carbon content.
• At SGS Beta, we provide biobased carbon content results as a fraction of the total carbon content in 7 business days or less.
• We only offer EN 16640 testing via accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS).

About EN 16640 Testing

The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee CEN/TC 411 published EN 16640 in August 2017.

There are three test methods specified in EN 16640 for measuring biobased content – liquid scintillation counting (LSC), beta-ionization (BI), and accelerator mass spectrometry. Under EN 16640, the biobased carbon content of a material is expressed as a fraction of sample mass or as a fraction of the total carbon content. This calculation method is applicable to any product containing organic carbon, including biocomposites.

AMS has several advantages over BI and LSC:

• It is more accurate (the standard deviation is as low as 0.1%)
• It applies to all material types regardless of color or viscosity.
• The analysis requires small sample sizes that make it more convenient for shipment.

For more information, you can buy a copy of the standard: EN 16640:2017: Bio-based products – Bio-based carbon content – Determination of the bio-based carbon content using the radiocarbon method

You might also be interested in:
AMS vs Radiometric Techniques, e.g. Liquid Scintillation Counting (VIDEO)
Other analytical standards for biobased products around the world

SGS Beta only offers EN 16640 Testing with the AMS Method

ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited SGS Beta offers two services for clients who need EN 16640 biobased carbon testing by AMS — Standard (results are reported in 7 business days) and Priority (results are available in 4 business days or less).

Formerly known as Beta Analytic, our Miami-based laboratory accepts non-hazardous samples at our forwarding offices worldwide (see shipping addresses here). If your samples are hazardous, please send them directly to our headquarters in Florida, USA, following De Minimis Shipping guidelines.

Contact us for more information before sending your samples so we can provide shipping instructions applicable to your region.

Page last updated: October 2025