Articles | Volume 18, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-319-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-319-2025
Research article
 | 
20 Jan 2025
Research article |  | 20 Jan 2025

A new portable sampler of atmospheric methane for radiocarbon measurements

Giulia Zazzeri, Lukas Wacker, Negar Haghipour, Philip Gautschi, Thomas Laemmel, Sönke Szidat, and Heather Graven

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Cited articles

Eisma, R., Vermeulen, A. T., and Van Der Borg, K.: 14CH4 emissions from nuclear power plants in northwestern Europe, Radiocarbon, 37, 475–483, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200030952, 1995. 
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Palonen, V., Uusitalo, J., Seppälä, E., and Oinonen, M.: A portable methane sampling system for radiocarbon-based bioportion measurements and environmental CH4 sourcing studies, Rev. Sci. Instrum., 88, 075102 , https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4993920, 2017. 
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Short summary
Radiocarbon (14C) is an optimal tracer of methane (CH4) emissions, as 14C measurements enable distinguishing between fossil methane and biogenic methane. However, these measurements are particularly challenging, mainly due to technical difficulties in the sampling procedure. We made the sample extraction much simpler and time efficient, providing a new technology that can be used by any research group, with the goal of expanding 14C measurements for an improved understanding of methane sources.
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