DIN CEN/TR 16721 DIN SPEC 35802:2014-12

The purpose of this Technical Report is provide an overview of methods for the determination of the bio-based content of solid, liquid and gaseous products. The ability to determine the bio-based content of a product is an obvious prerequisite for developing the market for bio-based products. Currently, the bio-based content is usually derived from the determination of the bio-based carbon content by means of 14C measurement (as described in ASTM D6866-12 [1]).This methodology is used because 14C is measurable. However, results based on the 14C methodology are expressed as a fraction of bio-based carbon on the total (organic) carbon content of the sample. In some cases the bio-based content of a product can differ substantially from the bio-based carbon content. For example, for products in which a fraction of the raw materials has been replaced by bio-based materials/constituents containing other elements such as oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen (e. g. carbohydrate-based products), the bio-based carbon content may be substantially lower than the fraction of the product that is derived from biomass. This Technical Report describes three different methodologies to determine the bio-based content in a product and proposes the development of standards. a) a method using the radiocarbon analysis and elemental analysis: this method is based on a statement and a verification of the composition of the products; b) methods based on measurement of stable isotopic ratio; and c) a method based on the material balance. This Technical Report gives guidance on the applicability of the different methods.