KCCAMS Sample Preparation Laboratory
This laboratory accepts a variety of samples in a range of preparation stages to support researchers at all University California campus locations as well as U.S. and international researchers not affiliated with the UC system. Its operation is dedicated to supporting carbon cycle research. Samples are also prepared in four associated research laboratories in the Department of Earth System Science led by UC Irvine faculty Ellen Druffel, Susan Trumbore, Claudia Czimczik, Kathleen Johnson, and Brett Walker, supported by KCCAMS staff scientists Drs. Xiaomei Xu, Guaciara Santos, and Zicheng Wang.

0.5 MV AMS
The 0.5 MV 1.5SDH-2 (National Electrostatics Corporation) with an in house designed 60-sample MC-SNICS cesium sputter ion source is optimized for regular-sized (100–1000 µg C) bulk samples. The KCCAMS facility also works with interested researchers to process smaller samples (15-100 µg C). The 

EA/Cracker-GIS-MICADAS
The MICADAS is 0.2 MV accelerator mass spectrometer that was added to UC Irvine’s KCCAMS user facility to support climate change and air quality research in December 2023. With its hybrid ion source and high-degree of automation, the MICADAS enables (a) the rapid analysis of size-limited samples in the form of carbon dioxide gas (organic solids or purified carbon dioxide in ampoules, 15-100 μg C) and (b) the comprehensive analysis of regular-sized samples in form of solid graphite (all sample types, 300-1000 μg C), that are simultaneously analyzed for their %C and %N via a coupled elemental analyzer.

Elemental and stable isotope analyses
Alongside the measurement of radiocarbon, the KCCAMS facility offers the analysis of carbon and nitrogen contents (%C, %N, C:N-ratio) and stable isotope ratios (δ13C, δ15N). These data can provide information about the sources of C and N in a sample and, or the cycling of C and N in the environment. For certain sample types (e.g. bone), C and N data are used to determine the degree of environmental degradation and thus its suitability for radiocarbon analysis.

The facility operates two elemental analyzers coupled with continuous flow stable isotope mass spectrometers. An EA/Gasbench II-IRMS (Fisons-Thermo-Finnigan Delta+) is used to measure %C, %N, C:N-ratio, δ13C, and δ15N of organic solids and δ13C of carbon dioxide. An EA/IRMS (Vario EL-Isoprime PrecisION, Elementar) coupled to an Automated Graphitization Equipment (AGE3, Ionplus AG) is used to convert organic solids into graphite targets for radiocarbon analysis, while also measuring the %C, %N, C:N-ratio, δ13C, and δ15N.