The AAA pretreatment involves washing the samples with hot hydrochloric acid (HCl) followed by a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) wash. A final HCl acid wash is done before sample drying. Radiocarbon dating labs also apply the AAA method on old wood or highly contaminated wood samples followed by cellulose extraction.

How is the archaeological dating done under carbon-14 method?

Carbon-14 dating, also called radiocarbon dating, method of age determination that depends upon the decay to nitrogen of radiocarbon (carbon-14). Radiocarbon decays slowly in a living organism, and the amount lost is continually replenished as long as the organism takes in air or food.

What do we use carbon 13 for?

C-13 is used for instance in organic chemistry research, studies into molecular structures, metabolism, food labeling, air pollution and climate change. C-13 is also used in breath tests to determine the presence of the helicobacter pylori bacteria which causes stomach ulcer.