CARBON-ISOTOPE EXCHANGE AND RADIOCARBON DATING

The Possibility of carbon dioxide sorption by materials of organic ori gin and the consequent isotope exchange is assumed as an important pro blem in radiocarbon dating. Using carbon dioxide labeled by carbon-14, the sorption of carbon dioxide by linen and cotton cloth was shown. E xposition of linen cloth in sodium (C-14)-carbonate solution for 250 d with consequent strong washing and combustion of washed material was used as a model of long-term carbon interaction in the system air-clot h. UP to 5% of not (or hardly) removable C-14 (from labeled sodium car bonate) was detected in linen-cloth. This result can be cosidered as e vidence for the possibility of carbon isotope exchange in the system a tmospheric carbon dioxide-thin archaeological artifacts during long-te rm storage in open air.