T01_01

Real-world ¹⁴C quantification by Saturated-absorption CAvity Ring-down (SCAR) spectroscopy

Carcione F^1,3, Delli Santi M⁷, Insero G^2,5, Cancio P^2,6, Galli I^2,6, Giusfredi G⁶, De Natale P^2,8, Mazzotti D^2,6, Defeo G⁴, Bartalini S^1,2,6

¹ppqSense Srl., Sesto Fiorentino, Italia, ²European Laboratory for Nonlinear Spectroscopy (LENS), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy, ³Università di Firenze, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Firenze, Italy, ⁴Ars Tinctoria Srl., Santa Croce sull'Arno, Italy, ⁵Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), Torino, Italy, ⁶Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO-CNR), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy, ⁷Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO-CNR), Pozzuoli, Italy, ⁸Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO-CNR), Firenze, Italy

Saturated-absorption cavity ring-down (SCAR) spectroscopy has pushed molecular detection to an unprecedented sensitivity of a few parts-per-quadrillion (ppq), thus allowing precise quantification of ¹⁴CO₂. Technology has been progressing since its first demonstration in 2011 and has taken to a portable instrument which is being deployed worldwide. Recently, our instrument has been applied for addressing specific problems in very different areas of science and humanities. Results will be shown for SCAR application to: discrimination of biogenic vs. fossil content in materials and fuels; radiological assessment of waste coming from decommissioning of a nuclear power plant; dating of archeological samples from a 4500 years old Sumerian site.

Next applications aim to ¹⁴C precise measurements in atmospheric samples, since distinguishing and measuring fossil vs. biogenic CO₂ in the atmosphere is the key to quantify the anthropogenic contribution to climate change. Aspects of the above applications, and many others that will come in the future, are in line with the European Green Deal, aiming to adopt a set of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% within 2030. In this perspective a cheap, compact, fast and clean technique for biogenic carbon analysis, like SCAR, will provide a crucial tool for implementing many of the European Green Deal strategies. We will also touch upon progress towards a biological SCAR instrument where dynamic range, throughput, and sample size are of the utmost importance.