A warning against radiocarbon dating of samples containing little carbon

Samples from three different sites are dated and the results give additional evidence that radiocarbon dates of sediments containing little carbon are very often in error. It is recommended that the fraction which is soluble in NaOH be dated. The results imply that the radiocarbon ages of this fraction are very often more reliable than the insoluble fraction - at least in many Scandinavian gyttja samples.