Standard Method
Standardized analytical protocol defines radiocarbon dating procedures to measure the exact fraction of biobased carbon present in non-fossil polymers, coatings, paper composites and packaging materials. Laboratory analysis under EN 16640 utilizes accelerator mass spectrometry or liquid scintillation counting to determine the isotope ratio of carbon-14 relative to total carbon content. The standard delivers an objective percentage calculation that separates contemporary biological carbon from fossil-derived synthetic components.
Radiocarbon Quantification
Living biomass absorbs carbon-14 from the atmosphere at an equilibrium concentration, whereas fossil fuels have completely lost this isotope through radioactive decay over millions of years. Test specimens undergo complete combustion to yield carbon dioxide gas, which specialists graphitize for accelerator mass spectrometry detection. Calculating the residual carbon-14 content relative to an oxalic acid modern reference standard yields the biobased carbon share.
The procedure accounts for atmospheric bomb-pulse corrections, producing an exact percentage of biobased carbon relative to total organic carbon. Inorganic carbonates derived from mineral pigments like calcium carbonate must be removed through acid treatment prior to analysis to avoid false organic readings.
Certification Scope
Packaging procurement teams verify renewable content claims for barrier-coated cartons and biopolymer lamination films using this test. The standard measures only the carbon atoms derived from biomass, leaving total package weight claims to separate mass-balance standards. Process verification under this document does not assess biodegradability, chemical toxicity or compostability performance.
The test result provides legal validation for biobased carbon claims on commercial paperboard packaging structures.
