Services and pricing

Getting started

Identify your application: Review the service categories on this page to find your research area or scientific application.
Select your service code: Choose the appropriate code based on your sample type
Prepare your sample: Ensure you follow minimum sample requirements and sampling guidelines
Check pricing: Note the rates based on your organization type using our pricing categories.
Request your analysis: Visit the sample submission page for submission forms, shipping requirements and instructions to submit your samples.

If you have questions or need more information to select your service, review the choosing an analysis section or contact us at submissions.ael-ams@uottawa.ca.

Service categories

All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD). Services include sample pretreatment, quality assurance and reporting unless otherwise noted.

Pricing effective May 1, 2026

Who needs this? Industries testing biofuel content, environmental monitoring or tracer detection.

Service	Code	Typical sample types	Sample required	Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Solid biocarbon (Hidex Method)	LSC-BC	Solid Recovery Fuel (SRF), Biocarbon solids, etc.	≥500 mg C	$180	$290
Liquid Biofuel (Hidex Method)	LSC-BF	HVO, jet fuels, diesel, EtOH, etc.	≥10mL	$180	$290
Swipe test	LSC-SW	Presence/absence of elevated ¹⁴C tracer*	Swipe media on glass fibre filters	$130	$210

*Swipe testing might be required before sample submission if there’s a risk of elevated ¹⁴C.

More information

The LSC instrumentation uses a Hidex-300 Oxidizer and Ultra-Low-Level (ULLA) scintillation counter. Typical biofuel precision is ±1–2% (1σ) reported as a fraction of modern biocarbon following the Hidex Biofuel Method (similar to ASTM D6866 for LSC-BC). Precision is dependent on sample type. Coarse-particle solid biocarbon samples might require pulverization; contact us.

Who needs this? Archeologists, paleontologists and geologists dating organic materials and carbonates.

Service	Code	Typical sample types	Sample required	Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Acid–alkali–acid (AAA) pretreatment	AAA	Wood, charcoal, most bulk organics	≥20 mg (min. 5 mg)	$350	$490
α-Cellulose extraction	α-C	Tree rings	≥40 mg (min. 10 mg)	$500	$700
Acid washing	A	Soils and bulk sediments, residues, etc.	≥500 mg (min. 100 mg for C-rich soils)	$350	$490
Humic acid fraction	HcF	Soils and bulk sediments	≥500 mg (min. 100 mg)	$460	$645
Humin fraction	HnF	Soils and bulk sediments	≥500 mg (min. 100 mg)	$460	$645
Direct combustion	D	Client-prepared samples; contact us first.	≥10 mg (min. 1 mg)	$300	$420
AAA with solvent washes	X	Skin, parchment, leather, textiles	Material-dependent	$350	$490
Collagen extraction (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N included)	B	Bone, tooth dentin, antler	≥1000 mg (min. 400 mg)	$510	$715
Collagen extraction and ultrafiltration (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N included)	BU	Bone, tooth dentin, antler	≥1000 mg (min. 400 mg)	$550	$770
Pretreatment and acid digestion of mineral fraction	CB	Calcined bone	≥1000 mg (min. 800 mg)	$350	$490
Acid pre-etches and digestion	S	Shells, foraminifera	≥50 mg (min. 10 mg)	$325	$455
No pre-etch, acid digestion only	SN	Carbonates	>20 mg (min. 10 mg)	$325	$455

More information

Services in this group include sample pretreatment, conversion to CO₂, graphitization and measurement on a MICADAS or HVE 3MV AMS. Typical precision ranges from 2 to 4 ‰, depending on sample type. Results will be reported as F¹⁴C, CRA and calendar years if requested.

Note: The AAA service is for discrete organic materials (e.g., wood, charcoal), and A is for bulk sediments or residues. For service B and BU, consult our tips on pre-screening bone samples for collagen preservation. When choosing between B and BU services, note that BU (ultrafiltration) is only required where scientifically justified. Direct combustion (D) is only for client-prepared material. Contact the facility before submission to ensure quality control. For S or SN analyses, calibration is applied to marine samples only with appropriate regional reservoir correction (DR). Calibration is not applicable to freshwater shells due to potential hard water effects.

Who needs this? Hydrologists and environmental scientists studying water systems and carbon cycling.

Service	Code	Sample required	Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Dissolved inorganic carbon; typically, >1 mg/L DIC	DIC	≥500 mL (min. yield 1 mg C)	$410	$575
Low dissolved inorganic carbon; typically, <0.5 mg/L DIC	DIC+	≥1000 mL (min. yield 1 mg C)	$550	$770
Dissolved organic carbon freshwater; typically, >1 mg/L DOC	DOC	≥500 mL	$530	$740
Low DOC, freshwater; typically, <0.5 mg/L DOC	DOC+	≥1000 mL	$700	$980
Particulate organic carbon on quartz filters; contact us before submission	POC	>0.5 mg C	$340	$480
Methane in gas mix by offline combustion	CH4	≥1.0 mg C (min. 1% CH₄ v/v in gas source)	$410	$575
Aqueous carbonate (Na₂CO₃ or BaCO₃) in aqueous base; contact us before submission	CA	≥0.5–1.0 mg C	$330	$460
CO₂ from gas mixture (offline purification required)	CX	≥0.5–1.0 mg C	$350	$540

More Information

Services in this group include sample preparation, conversion to CO₂, graphitization and measurement on either the MICADAS or 3MV AMS. Typical precision ranges from 3‰ to 10‰ depending on sample type. Results in this group are reported as isotopic ratios: F¹⁴C, CRA, D¹⁴C or D¹⁴C.

Note: DIC or DOC may require increased sample volume, replicate analyses or additional QA procedures, depending on the water quality of the sample. For CH4 and CX services, contact us if you suspect more than trace levels of contaminants (e.g. H₂S). For gas mixtures containing hydrocarbons heavier than ethane, we require a gas analysis report before we can accept your samples.

Contact us at submissions.ael-ams@uottawa.ca to request a consultation before submitting samples in this application category.

Service	Code	Sample required	Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Graphite, measurement only	G	0.5–1.0 mg C	$180	$250
Purified CO₂ in 13 cm x 6 mm OD break seal tubes	C	0.5–1.0 mg C	$260	$365

More information

Services in this group may include sample graphitization (C), pressing (G) and measurement on the MICADAS or 3MV AMS. Typical measurement precision ranges from 2‰ to 3‰ depending on sample type. Results will be reported as isotopic ratios: F¹⁴C, CRA, D¹⁴C or D¹⁴C. Measurement-only services assume that pre-treatment and CO₂ purification demonstrably meet international radiocarbon QA standards. Substandard or poorly prepared materials could be rejected or require additional processing fees.

Who needs this? Researchers with very small samples or for environmental screening.

Service	Code	Carbon range and typical precision (1σ)	Instrument	Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Micro-sample analyses for limited carbon mass	GIS-µC	60–200 µg C 0.1–1%	MICADAS gas source	$320	$400
Environmental screening where approximate biocarbon is sufficient	GIS-ENV	60–200 µg C <1 % (fraction modern carbon, screening-level)	MICADAS gas source	$280	$390

Service

Code

Carbon range and typical precision (1σ)

Instrument

Price per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit

Price per sample (CAD): Commercial, international

Micro-sample analyses for limited carbon mass

GIS-µC

60–200 µg C

0.1–1%

MICADAS gas source

$320

$400

Environmental screening where approximate biocarbon is sufficient

GIS-ENV

60–200 µg C

<1 % (fraction modern carbon, screening-level)

MICADAS gas source

$280

$390

More Information

Results in this group are reported as isotopic ratios: F¹⁴C, CRA, D¹⁴C or D¹⁴C. When selecting GIS-µC researchers must balance uncertainty versus feasibility.

Note: GIS-ENV analyses are intended solely for environmental screening and monitoring. They are not suitable for calendar-age interpretation or publication-grade chronologies.

Professional services

Service	Code	Hourly rate (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Hourly rate (CAD): Commercial, international
Professional radioisotope consulting (assistance with sample preparation, date calibration, etc.)	DCS	$250 / hour	$350

δ¹³C and C/N ratios

Service	Code	Carbon requirement and achievable precision (1σ)	Instrument	Fee per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Fee per sample (CAD): Commercial, international
Stable carbon isotope elemental ratios (applicable to organic solids*)	13-C	≥0.5 mg C ≤0.3 ‰	Isoprime IRMS	$30	$50

Service

Code

Carbon requirement and achievable precision (1σ)

Instrument

Fee per sample (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit

Fee per sample (CAD): Commercial, international

Stable carbon isotope elemental ratios (applicable to organic solids*)

13-C

≥0.5 mg C

≤0.3 ‰

Isoprime IRMS

$30

$50

*Note: δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N are included in the B and BU analysis fee for QA/QC of collagen.

Other fees

Service	Code	Applicable To	Additional fee (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Additional fee (CAD): Commercial, international
Sample filtration with 0.7 µm QFF *Field filtering recommended	FLTR	DIC, DOC	$25 per sample	$35 per sample
Return shipping of sample material, by request^†	SHIP	All materials	$30 per batch	$40 per batch
Customs clearance fee	CUST	All international shipments	$50 per batch	$60 per batch

† Flat rate for return shipping within Canada. For larger containers or coolers, or international destinations, a higher shipping premium will apply (by direct billing or use of client courier account).

Short course in radiocarbon fundamentals

Service	Code	Applicable to	Number of participants	Price (CAD): Academic, government, non-profit	Price (CAD): Commercial, international
One-week training course on fundamentals of radiocarbon	TRAIN	Consultants, graduate students, researchers	Minimum of 3 to 5 trainees required per session, tailored (e.g. archaeology, hydrogeology)	Contact us for pricing	Contact us for pricing

Choosing an analysis

The precision values listed for radiocarbon services represent the typical 1σ performance under routine operating conditions. They're dependent on sample carbon mass and detection limits. Instrument assignments depend on workflow, capacity, and precision requirements. Our AMS instruments for radiocarbon include an HVE 3MV AMS and an Ionplus MICADAS 0.2MV AMS. The liquid scintillation counting (LSC) instrumentation is a Hidex Ultra-Low-Level (ULLA) Scintillation Counter.

Routine operating conditions refer to AMS measurement times optimized for the sample type and scientific application. For many materials (e.g., carbonates, soils, sediments, ecological samples, DIC, DOC), analytical uncertainty is dominated by sample heterogeneity, pretreatments, or environmental variability rather than AMS counting statistics. In such cases, extended counting time does not improve scientific interpretation so it is not routinely applied.

You must select a service code for each sample submitted to indicate the analysis requested. If the submitted code does not match the sample material, carbon yield, or analytical feasibility, the Facility will assign the appropriate service code prior to analysis. Clients will be notified of any significant changes.

If you require more information to select a service, consult the radiocarbon sampling guidelines.

Pricing categories

Our pricing structure in CAD reflects different user categories. Fees are determined by the billing address listed on the sample submission form.

Note: We don't accept samples from private individuals. We only accept samples from academic institutions, government and non-profit agencies or commercial institutions.

Rate category	Who qualifies	Invoicing
Academic, government, non-profit	Canadian researchers, Canadian government institutions, indigenous groups and recognized non-profit organizations	An invoice is issued after delivery of final results. A purchase order is requested for submissions of >$10,000
Commercial, international	International users and all commercial organizations or businesses	Payment must be remitted in full before the release of results. For repeat commercial users, pre-invoicing can be waived. A purchase order from the institution is requested for submissions of >$10,000
Internal rates	University of Ottawa and Carleton University research accounts receive 20% off academic rates	An invoice is issued after delivery of final results. A purchase order is requested for submissions of >$10,000

Pro bono scientific support for high-impact projects

The André E. Lalonde National Facility for AMS advances science and society through targeted pro bono collaborations. We may provide limited, in-kind analytical services for selected projects that meet the following criteria:

Scientific Merit or Public Benefit: The project addresses an urgent societal issue, contributes to underserved research areas, supports Indigenous communities, or enables critical environmental monitoring.
Resource-Conscious Scope: The project requires modest AEL-AMS analytical support (e.g., limited number of radioisotope analyses) and does not disrupt core operations or funded commitments.
Acknowledgement and Visibility: The lab must receive formal credit in resulting publications, reports, or media (e.g., co-authorship, acknowledgements, institutional branding in outreach).
Review Process: Requests are evaluated by the Executive Director in consultation with the lab’s scientific leads. Decisions are based on alignment with our mission, feasibility, and current workload.

We welcome inquiries from academic researchers, NGOs, and community-led initiatives. Pro bono support is provided at the lab’s discretion and is not guaranteed.

To apply: Submit a one-page proposal outlining project goals, requested support, and planned recognition for the lab to ael-ams@uottawa.ca.

Quantity discounts

Quantity discounts for large submissions may be considered for large contracts of the same sample type (>100 samples) at the discretion of AEL-AMS Management on a case-by-case basis. Contact us at submission.ael-ams@uottawa.ca for details.

Getting started

Service categories

Biofuels, industry and screening arrow_drop_down

More information

Archeology, paleoecology and quaternary science arrow_drop_down

More information

Hydrology, geochemistry and environmental tracing arrow_drop_down

More Information

AMS measurement-only and purified CO2 arrow_drop_down

More information

MICADAS gas-source AMS micro-carbon arrow_drop_down

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Add-on services and fees arrow_drop_down

Professional services

δ13C and C/N ratios

Other fees

Short course in radiocarbon fundamentals

Choosing an analysis

Pricing categories

Pro bono scientific support for high-impact projects

Quantity discounts

δ¹³C and C/N ratios