Biobased Product Testing

Measuring % Biobased Carbon versus % Fossil Carbon in any product

Biobased materials are derived in whole or in part from biomass resources. Biobased testing by carbon-14 analysis is used to measure the amount of biomass-derived carbon as compared to its total organic carbon (TOC) or total carbon (TC) content. Since carbon-14 is only present in living or recently expired material, Carbon-14 testing using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is the most effective method to determine the amount of biobased carbon as opposed to petroleum-derived carbon in raw materials or any given end product.

What does “biobased” mean?

“Biobased” means containing organic carbon of renewable origin like agricultural, plant, animal, fungi, microorganisms, marine, or forestry materials living in a natural environment in equilibrium with the atmosphere, according to the ASTM D6866-22 analytical standard.

Quantify the Biobased Content of Products by Carbon-14 Analysis to:

  • Validate your biobased claims
  • Determine the biobased content of products for regulatory or certification purposes
  • Use precise % biobased carbon results in your marketing strategies and R&D

Biobased Testing Reporting Standards

  • ASTM D6866, ISO 16620-2, EN 16640, and more
  • Biobased percentage can be expressed as a fraction of TC or TOC content of the product.

Beta Analytic’s Biobased Content Testing Services

  • Standard Service – results are reported in 7 business days or less
  • Priority Service – 4 business days or less

Ready to submit samples for testing?
Read our guidelines.

For reliable, accurate and fast biobased testing solutions, choose Beta Analytic.


You might also be interested in:

Understanding Biobased Carbon Content Measurement
Ecolabels worldwide – e.g. USDA BioPreferred Program label, TUV Austria’s OK Biobased
Regulations and tax credit programs requiring biobased content testing

Page last updated: January 2024