Assessment of ¹⁴C and CO₂ in atmospheric air and pine needles in Gliwice, Poland

We present a short database of the mole fraction of CO₂ and ¹⁴CO₂ in atmospheric air samples from an urban area in Gliwice, Silesia, Poland. The research covered a period from August 2023 to July 2024. A new laboratory air sampler stand was established to monitor carbon dioxide levels in Gliwice, giving the possibility to determine CO₂ levels in the air using appropriate instruments to collect the air samples, extract CO₂ from them, and thus measure carbon isotopes ratio ¹⁴C/¹²C. The analysis of the mole fraction of CO₂ was determined using a low-cost system (CARBOCAP GMP343), while the carbon isotopes concentration was measured using MICADAS. The ¹⁴C in the air samples varied randomly from –55 to –24%, while the monthly mole fraction of CO₂ varied from 428 to 470 ppm. It has been also observed also that CO₂ concentration is linked with the planetary boundary layer. The fraction of fossil of total CO₂ has been estimated at the level of 2.5% during the investigated period of time. Another aim of this study was to investigate pine needles as ¹⁴C archives in a contemporary environment. The examination of the needles was based on the analysis of the similarities and differences in radiocarbon concentrations in pine needles of various ages collected in the middle of consecutive seasons, with 3 months resolution in Gliwice. The concentration of ¹⁴C in the needles was determined using a liquid scintillation counter. The mean F¹⁴C from all the samples was 99.80(70) pMC.