Biobased Content, Biogenic Carbon, Radiocarbon Dating & Geochemical Isotope Testing for Products, Fuels, Emissions & Natural Ingredients
In an era of tightening sustainability regulation and heightened scrutiny of environmental claims, the ability to accurately quantify biogenic and biobased carbon is fundamental to product compliance, certification, and credible green claims. Whether you are a manufacturer of bio-based plastics, a biofuel producer, an industrial emitter managing CO₂ waste streams, or a food and flavour company verifying the natural origin of ingredients, reliable biogenic carbon data is non-negotiable. As one of the leading biogenic carbon testing laboratories in UAE, METS Lab provides scientifically rigorous analysis across the full spectrum of biobased and biogenic carbon testing — from biobased content and biogenic CO₂ analysis to radiocarbon dating and geochemical isotope profiling. Our laboratory applies internationally recognised radiocarbon (¹⁴C) and stable isotope methods, delivering fully traceable results that support bio-based content claims, carbon credit verification, waste fuel classification, natural ingredient authentication, and regulatory submissions across diverse industries. We deliver comprehensive, data-driven reports that satisfy the documentation requirements of certification schemes, environmental product declarations (EPDs), life cycle assessment (LCA) studies.Our Core Biogenic Carbon Testing Services Include
- Biobased Content Testing (ASTM D6866 / EN 16640 / ISO 16620-2)
- Biogenic Content Testing for Biofuels (ASTM D7833 / ISO 13833)
- Biogenic Testing for CO₂ Emissions & Waste (BS EN ISO 21644)
- Natural vs. Synthetic Origin Determination
- Radiocarbon Dating
- Geochemical Isotope Analysis
Why Biogenic Carbon Testing Is Important?
Biobased Content Testing
Biobased content testing determines the proportion of carbon in a product that originates from contemporary biological sources rather than fossil feedstocks. The method relies on radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis — living biomass incorporates atmospheric ¹⁴C through photosynthesis, while fossil-derived carbon contains no measurable ¹⁴C. By measuring ¹⁴C activity via accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) or liquid scintillation counting (LSC), laboratories can precisely quantify the biobased carbon fraction as a percentage of total carbon. Biobased content data is required for bio-based product certification (DIN CERTCO, TÜV Austria OK biobased, USDA BioPreferred), retailer sustainability specifications, green procurement compliance, and environmental product declarations. The method is applicable to plastics, polymers, packaging materials, coatings, adhesives, lubricants, textiles, and consumer products. As a leading biogenic carbon testing laboratory in UAE, METS Lab performs biobased content testing in compliance with the following standards:- Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis — ASTM D6866
- Bio-based products — Determination of the biobased carbon content using the radiocarbon method — EN 16640
- Plastics — Bio-based plastics — Part 2: Determination of bio-based carbon content — ISO 16620-2
Biogenic Content Testing for Biofuels
Accurate determination of the biogenic fraction of biofuels and blended fuel products is essential for compliance with renewable energy directives, fuel taxation regulations, and carbon accounting frameworks. Biofuels derived from biological feedstocks contain measurable ¹⁴C activity, while fossil-derived components contribute no radiocarbon signal. Radiocarbon analysis enables precise quantification of the renewable fraction in liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, and blended products. METS Lab provides biogenic content testing for bioethanol, biodiesel, bio-methane, pyrolysis oils, and blended fuel products. Our results support Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance, EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/III) submissions, and fuel tax exemption applications. Testing is conducted in accordance with the following standards:- Standard Test Method for Determination of the Biobased Content of Liquid, Solid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis — specifically applicable to transportation fuels and biofuel blends — ASTM D7833
- Liquid petroleum products — Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) — Determination of biogenic carbon content by radiocarbon analysis — ISO 13833
Biogenic Testing for CO₂ Emissions & Waste
Waste treatment facilities, co-incineration plants, and industrial emitters must accurately partition biogenic and fossil carbon fractions in their waste streams and stack emissions to ensure correct GHG reporting and compliance with permit conditions. METS Lab performs biogenic carbon analysis of solid waste, refuse-derived fuels (RDF), solid recovered fuels (SRF), and CO₂ emissions streams. Our analyses are critical for waste operators seeking to correctly classify biomass fractions, avoid over-reporting fossil CO₂, and substantiate claims for biogenic CO₂ credits. Testing is performed in accordance with the following standard:- Solid recovered fuels — Methods for the determination of biomass content using radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis — BS EN ISO 21644
Biogenic Hydrocarbon Gas Analysis
The quantification of biogenic fractions in hydrocarbon gas streams is increasingly important for producers and consumers of biomethane, biogas, bio-syngas, and blended natural gas products. As bio-based gas injection into natural gas grids expands across the GCC and internationally, the ability to verify the biogenic origin of gas fractions supports green gas certification, biomethane guarantees of origin (GoOs), and regulatory compliance. METS Lab provides biogenic hydrocarbon gas analysis combining radiocarbon methodology with gas composition characterisation. Our testing supports bio-methane certification, biomass gasification product verification, and blended gas origin disclosure. Testing is performed in accordance with the following standard:- Natural gas and biomethane for use in transport and biomethane for injection in the natural gas network — Determination of the biomethane/biogas content by radiocarbon analysis
Natural vs. Synthetic Origin Determination
The authentication of natural origin in flavours, fragrances, food ingredients, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals is a critical requirement for regulatory compliance, labelling accuracy, and premium product positioning. Consumers and regulators increasingly require that claims of ‘natural’, ‘bio-based’, or ‘plant-derived’ ingredients are substantiated by analytical evidence rather than self-declaration. METS Lab employs combined radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis and stable carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) methodology via isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to distinguish natural from synthetic or fossil-derived compounds. These techniques are applied to vanilla, citrus terpenes, aroma chemicals, amino acids, vitamins, and other ingredients where origin authentication is commercially or regulatorily required. Our testing follows internationally recognised analytical methods including:- Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content Using Radiocarbon Analysis — applicable to natural ingredient verification — ASTM D6866
- Essential oils — Isotopic analyses — δ¹³C determination by IRMS and ¹⁴C activity measurement
- Flavourings — Methodology for assessing the nature of flavouring substances (natural vs. synthetic) — EU Regulation 1334/2008 (analytical support)
Radiocarbon Dating
Radiocarbon dating (¹⁴C dating) provides absolute age determination of organic materials by measuring the residual ¹⁴C activity remaining after biological death. Since ¹⁴C decays at a known rate (half-life ~5,730 years), the age of an organic sample can be calculated from the measured ¹⁴C concentration. This technique is applicable across archaeological, geological, forensic, environmental, and commercial contexts. At METS Lab, radiocarbon dating services support a wide range of applications including authentication of archaeological artefacts, age verification of antiques and artwork, forensic age determination of biological materials, geological sediment dating, and provenance verification of wood, leather, textiles, and food products. Our dating analyses are performed using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and are reported with calibrated calendar age ranges using internationally accepted calibration datasets.- Standard Test Methods for Determining the Biobased Content of Solid, Liquid, and Gaseous Samples Using Radiocarbon Analysis — basis for ¹⁴C activity measurement — ASTM D6866
- Radiocarbon dating — Reporting and interpretation of radiocarbon age data
Geochemical Isotope Analysis
Geochemical isotope analysis encompasses the measurement of stable and radiogenic isotope ratios across multiple elements — including carbon (δ¹³C), nitrogen (δ¹⁵N), oxygen (δ¹⁸O), hydrogen (δD), and sulphur (δ³⁴S) — to characterise the origin, processing history, geographic provenance, and environmental exposure of materials. These multi-isotope fingerprinting approaches are applied in food authenticity, environmental forensics, pharmaceutical origin verification, and geological studies. METS Lab provides geochemical isotope profiling using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) and sector-field ICP-MS, delivering multi-element isotope datasets for provenance determination, adulteration detection, and environmental source apportionment. Our analyses are conducted in accordance with internationally recognised methods including:- Stable isotope ratio analysis — δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δD, δ³⁴S measurements by IRMS
- Food authenticity and origin — Multi-element stable isotope analysis
- Environmental isotope tracing and geochemical source apportionment —
Key Parameters in Biogenic Carbon Testing
METS Lab provides comprehensive biogenic carbon analysis across all major test categories. As a leading biogenic carbon testing laboratory in UAE, we apply radiocarbon and stable isotope methodologies in strict accordance with ASTM, ISO, EN, and BS EN standards to deliver precise, traceable data for certification, regulatory compliance, and sustainability reporting.
Biobased Content Testing| Parameter | Key Standards |
| Biobased Carbon Content (% of total carbon) | ASTM D6866 / ISO 16620-2 |
| Biobased Carbon Content (% of total mass) | EN 16640 / ISO 16620-4 |
| Fraction of Modern Carbon (pMC) | ASTM D6866 |
| ¹⁴C Activity (Bq/gC) | ISO 16620-2 / EN 16640 |
| Biobased vs. Fossil Carbon Ratio | ASTM D6866 / EN 16640 |
| Parameter | Key Standards |
| Biogenic Carbon Fraction of Liquid Fuels (%) | ASTM D7833 |
| Biogenic Content of FAME / Biodiesel (%) | ISO 13833 |
| Renewable Fraction in Blended Fuels (%) | ASTM D7833 / ISO 13833 |
| ¹⁴C Activity in Fuel Sample (pMC) | ASTM D7833 |
| Parameter | Key Standards |
| Biomass Content in Solid Recovered Fuels (%) | BS EN ISO 21644 |
| Biogenic Fraction of CO₂ Emissions (%) | BS EN ISO 21644 |
| Fossil Carbon Fraction (%) | BS EN ISO 21644 |
| ¹⁴C Activity in Waste/Emission Sample | BS EN ISO 21644 |
| Parameter | Key Standards |
| Biogenic Carbon Content — Origin Verification (%) | ASTM D6866 |
| δ¹³C Value (‰ vs. VPDB) | ISO 11024 / AOAC / IRMS |
| Natural vs. Synthetic Classification | ASTM D6866 + δ¹³C combined |
| ¹⁴C Activity — Natural Ingredient Verification | ASTM D6866 |
| Parameter | Key Standards |
| ¹⁴C Concentration / Residual Activity | AMS / LSC — ASTM D6866 basis |
Industries We Serve
Our facility provides specialised biogenic carbon and isotope analysis across a wide range of sectors. By ensuring compliance with international standards, we help partners validate bio-based content claims, support environmental certifications, authenticate natural ingredients, and meet regulatory and procurement requirements. We regularly serve the following industries:- Bio-Based Plastics & Polymer Manufacturers
- Sustainable Packaging Developers & Converters
- Biofuel & Renewable Energy Producers
- Waste-to-Energy & Co-Processing Operators
- Food & Beverage Manufacturers (natural ingredient authentication)
- Flavour & Fragrance Industry
- Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical Producers
- Chemical & Petrochemical Industry
- Biomethane & Bio-Gas Producers
- Environmental & Carbon Credit Verification Bodies