A protocol for radiocarbon dating tropical subfossil cave guano

Christopher M Wurster; Michael I Bird; Ian D Bull; Charlotte Bryant; Philippa Ascough

doi:10.1017/S0033822200034056

A protocol for radiocarbon dating tropical subfossil cave guano

Christopher M Wurster, Michael I Bird, Ian D Bull, Charlotte Bryant, Philippa Ascough

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Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	977-986
Number of pages	10
Journal	Radiocarbon
Volume	51
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200034056
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2009

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https://journals.uair.arizona.edu/index.php/radiocarbon/article/view/3557Licence: CC BY

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title = "A protocol for radiocarbon dating tropical subfossil cave guano",

abstract = "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.",

author = "Wurster, {Christopher M} and Bird, {Michael I} and Bull, {Ian D} and Charlotte Bryant and Philippa Ascough",

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T1 - A protocol for radiocarbon dating tropical subfossil cave guano

AU - Wurster, Christopher M

AU - Bird, Michael I

AU - Bull, Ian D

AU - Bryant, Charlotte

AU - Ascough, Philippa

PY - 2009/1/1

Y1 - 2009/1/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1017/S0033822200034056

DO - 10.1017/S0033822200034056

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0033-8222

VL - 51

SP - 977

EP - 986

JO - Radiocarbon

JF - Radiocarbon

IS - 3

ER -

A protocol for radiocarbon dating tropical subfossil cave guano

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