ASTM D6866-24

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: D6866 − 22 D6866 − 24
Standard Test Methods for
Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and
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Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D6866; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope*
1.1 This standard is a test method that teaches how to experimentally measure biobased carbon content of solids, liquids, and
gaseous samples using radiocarbon analysis. These test methods do not address environmental impact, product performance and
functionality, determination of geographical origin, or assignment of required amounts of biobased carbon necessary for
compliance with federal laws.
1.2 These test methods are applicable to any product containing carbon-based components that can be combusted in the presence
of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO ) gas. The overall analytical method is also applicable to gaseous samples, including
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flue gases from electrical utility boilers and waste incinerators.
1.3 These test methods make no attempt to teach the basic principles of the instrumentation used although minimum requirements
for instrument selection are referenced in the References section. However, the preparation of samples for the above test methods
is described. No details of instrument operation are included here. These are best obtained from the manufacturer of the specific
instrument in use.
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1.4 Limitation—This standard is applicable to laboratories working without exposure to artificial carbon-14 ( C). Artificial C
is routinely used in biomedical studies by both liquid scintillation counter (LSC) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)
laboratories and can exist within the laboratory at levels 1,000 times or more than 100 % biobased materials and 100,000 times
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more than 1% biobased materials. Once in the laboratory, artificial C can become undetectably ubiquitous on door knobs, pens,
desk tops, and other surfaces but which may randomly contaminate an unknown sample producing inaccurately high biobased
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results. Despite vigorous attempts to clean up contaminating artificial C from a laboratory, isolation has proven to be the only
successful method of avoidance. Completely separate chemical laboratories and extreme measures for detection validation are
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required from laboratories exposed to artificial C. Accepted requirements are:
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(1) disclosure to clients that the laboratory(s) working with their products and materials also works with artificial C
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(2) chemical laboratories in separate buildings for the handling of artificial C and biobased samples
(3) separate personnel who do not enter the buildings of the other
(4) no sharing of common areas such as lunch rooms and offices
(5) no sharing of supplies or chemicals between the two
(6) quasi-simultaneous quality assurance measurements within the detector validating the absence of contamination within the
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detector itself. (1, 2, and 3)
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These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D20 on Plastics and are the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D20.96 on Environmentally
Degradable Plastics and Biobased Products.
Current edition approved March 15, 2022Feb. 1, 2024. Published March 2022February 2024. Originally approved in 2004. Last previous edition approved in 20212022
as D6866 - 21.D6866 - 22. DOI: 10.1520/D6866-22.10.1520/D6866-24.
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The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to a list of references at the end of this standard.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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D6866 − 24
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of
regulatory limitations prior to use.
NOTE 1—ISO 16620-2 is equivalent to this standard.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendatio
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