Radiocarbon Determination of Fuel Gases

Radiocarbon analysis can be used in an effort to understand methane point and nonpoint source emissions, incentivize the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) to produce net zero carbon pathways, and quantify and mitigate methane emissions from various “fossil” and “modern” carbon sources.

ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic now offers carbon-14 analysis of fuel gases:

• We will analyze a bulk composition of gases and isolated gases of methane, carbon dioxide (in a mixture or “raw biogas”), propane, and butane.
• Gases composed of biogas, landfill gas, biomethane, RNG, co-processing gaseous fuels, renewable gas feedstocks, syngas, geogenic methane, soil gases, waste to energy gases, enteric gases, and bioreactor gases are associated types of samples that may be analyzed as part of this service.
• NOTE: We cannot accept gas compositions with high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) gas.

You need to complete the fuel gas questionnaire/assessment prior to acceptance of your gas samples.

Please contact us before sending samples.

Sampling Limitations

We are a NATURAL Level carbon-14 testing laboratory and cannot accept fuel gas samples that have been collected from any area that is near nuclear power plants, commercial or medical reactors, or industrial/medical waste disposal sites, or from within their drainage areas. The gas samples must not be stored or handled in any laboratory or area that uses OR has ever been used in a biomedical facility with artificially labeled carbon-14 at any time.

Should you suspect that your samples may in any way have elevated carbon-14 activities above peak Bomb Carbon levels (~200 pMC / 2.0 F¹⁴C), please DO NOT send the samples for testing. Fuel gas samples that produce activities above 200 pMC will incur extensive costs related to any cleanup necessary, equipment replacement, and duplicate analyses required for other samples. These costs could easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, which you will be responsible for as the submitter.

Take Advantage of Beta Analytic’s Expertise!

World leader in Carbon-14 measurements

Since 1979, ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic has been the world leader in Carbon-14 analysis.

Co-developers of the ASTM D6866 method

The lab was one of the key developers of the ASTM D6866 method and has served as technical adviser to all the major biogenic carbon standardization initiatives worldwide.

Free technical support from our experts

ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic provides unlimited technical support as well as client support in several languages, including Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.