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A Protocol for Radiocarbon Dating Tropical Subfossil Cave Guano

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

Christopher M Wurster ,
Michael I Bird ,
Ian Bull ,
Charlotte Bryant  and
Philippa Ascough
Christopher M Wurster
Affiliation:
School of Geography and Geosciences, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY 16 9AL, United Kingdom. Present address: School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia. Email: christopher.wurster@jcu.edu.au
Michael I Bird
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland 4870, Australia
Ian Bull
Affiliation:
Organic Geochemistry Unit (OGU), Bristol Biogeochemistry Research Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
Charlotte Bryant
Affiliation:
NERC Radiocarbon Facility - Environment, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, United Kingdom
Philippa Ascough
Affiliation:
AMS Group, SUERC, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, East Kilbride G75 0QF, United Kingdom
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Abstract

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We present accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates on several organic fractions isolated from tropical guano deposits recovered from insular Southeast Asia. Differences were observed between 14C measurements made on bulk guano as well as bulk lipids, the saturated hydrocarbon fraction, solvent-extracted guano, and insect cuticles extracted from the same bulk sample. We infer that 14C dates from the bulk lipid fraction and saturated hydrocarbon fractions can be variably contaminated by exogenous carbon. In contrast, 14C measurements on solvent-extracted guano and isolated insect cuticles appear to yield the most robust age determinations.

Information

Type
Methods and Developments
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 51 , Issue 3 , 2009 , pp. 977 - 986
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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