What does measuring biobased content involve?

This analysis makes it possible to distinguish the carbon resulting from the input of contemporary, biomass-based materials from that derived from fossil materials. Biomass contains a characteristic quantity of carbon 14, which is easily distinguishable from other materials, such as fossil fuels, which do not contain carbon 14. As the amount of carbon-14 in biomass is known, the percentage of carbon from renewable sources can be easily calculated from the TOTAL carbon contained in the sample analysed.

The analysis is carried out in accordance with standard EN 16640 and measures carbon 14 in relation to total carbon. The measurement of biobased content is therefore based on the principle of radiocarbon dating.

There are three test methods specified in EN 16640 for measuring radiocarbon content:

• Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC),
• Beta Ionisation (BI)
• Accelerated Mass Spectrometry (AMS).

According to EN 16640, the bio-based carbon content of a material is expressed as a fraction of the mass of the sample, or as a fraction of the total carbon content. This calculation method applies to all products containing organic carbon, including biocomposites.

In summary, measuring biobased content is an analytical technique that quantifies the amount of biobased raw materials present in a product or material. This technique can be used to verify supplier claims, as well as for regulatory compliance in many industrial sectors.