Angela Castanon

Geology 499

Core Processing for Charcoal Counting: Procedures

Phase 1: Creation of Excel File

1. Create excel file, include your name and core ID in the file name.
2. On the top of the spread sheet again identify which core you are handling.
3. Create a section for each interval; information on each centimeter sample will be recorded.
Intervals will be in 1 cm increments (0-1 cm, 1-2 cm, 2-3 cm).
4. Create a section captioned “beaker ID” (this will keep track of sediment intervals while the
samples are drying in future steps).
5. Create a section for volume of sediments collected; volume will uniformly be 1.25 cubic
centimeters (volume of scoop used).
6. Create a section for beaker weight, this section will be measured in grams.
7. Create a column captioned “wet sediment weight,” this measure will be in grams.
8. Create a section to record weight (g) of the beaker with the wet sediment.
9. Add a section to record the beaker and dry sediment weight (g).
10. Finally create a column for the dry sediment weight only (g).
11. I find it helpful to also use a “notes” section to keep track of which step you are in the process,
any mishaps while processing, or any interesting features of the individual sample intervals.

*Your table may look like the following:

Core Name PS1410-08GC

Interval (cm) Beaker ID Volume (cc) Beaker Wt (g) Wet Sed Wt. (g) Beaker + Wet Sed Wt. (g) Beaker + Dry Sed Wt. (g) Dry Sed Wt (g) notes
0-1 1.25
1-2 1.25

Phase 2: Core Processing

Materials Needed:

 Core
 Ruler (cm)
 Wooden blocks
 Spatula
 1.25 cc Scoop
 Beaker
 Scale
 Sharpie
 1. Retrieve core from core room
2. Remove core from container, taking note of which side is the top.
3. Place the top side of the core to your left so you can work to the right.
4. Unwrap any plastic wrap from the core and remove the cap from the top of the core.
5. Line up the core so that it is lying completely horizontal on the table.
6. Get wooden blocks from the cabinets and line them up along the length of your core.
7. Place a meter stick on top of these blocks, making sure to be reading centimeters.
8. Line up the beginning of the ruler (0 cm) where the sediment begins at the top of your core.
(Figure 1)

Figure 1. Where to place ruler in relation to core, interval taken each cm (0-1cm, 1-2cm, 2-3cm).
Work from the top of the core down.

9. Before continuing working on the core take five 250 mL beakers from the cabinets.
10. Weigh each beaker, recording both the beaker ID written on the glass and the weight in grams
on your excel spreadsheet you previously created.
11. Locate your spatula from the drawer marked “tools and spatulas.”
12. Use either side to trace a ~1 X .5 cm rectangle starting from 0 cm to just approaching the 1 cm
tick mark (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Trace out the shape of your ~1 x .5 cm sample using your spatula to make uniform holes, you
only need enough sediment to fill your 1.25 cc scoop, leave some sediment along the edges.
 13. Slowly go under your traced sediment and scoop them out, make sure to leave room for the
next sample, there should be a small divider of sediment separating each interval (Figure 3).

Figure 3. How to space intervals, should be separate from each other. Scoop holes are depicted
larger than they should be.

14. Place your sediments within your 1.25 cc scoop, making sure to compact it. Remove excess by
sliding the flat edge of your spatula along the top of the spoon.
15. Make sure to clean your instruments after each interval so as not to mix samples. Use a paper
towel to wipe off both the spatula and the spoon.
16. Scrape out all of the sediments within the scoop with your spatula, trace the rims and scoop
under for best results and place them into a numbered beaker. (Don’t forget to record which
beaker number each interval is in).
17. Weigh the beaker with the wet sediment and record it on a excel spread sheet.
18. Place beaker and sediments in the oven.
19. Once dry, reweigh the beaker and sediment.
20. Subtract the beaker and wet sediment weight from the beaker and dry sediment weight to find
the dry sediment weight only (use formula all the way down on excel).
21. Record on excel
22. Repeat this process across the length of the core until complete.
23. Rewrap core in plastic wrap, make sure to clearly identify which side is the top.

Phase 3: Sediment Processing

Once the dry sediments have been weighed

Materials Needed:

 Sediments in beakers
 3% hydrogen peroxide
 Hot plate
 Fume hood area
 50 ml beaker
 2.50 µm Sieve
 Petri dishes
 Water bottle w/ DI


1. Retrieve 3% hydrogen peroxide and place in fume hood.
2. Set hot plate to 125°F
3. Take the 50 mL beaker and fill it to 30 mL with hydrogen peroxide within the hood.
4. Pour the peroxide into the beaker and swirl to break up your sample.
5. Place on hot plate
6. Repeat this to other beakers
7. Leave on hot plate until the solution no longer reacts or until it stops fizzing.
8. While on the plate spray the edges of the beaker with deionized water to ensure all the
sediments are reacting to the peroxide and not stuck to the walls of the beaker. You may need
to check your samples often.
9. While on the hot plate take time to ready petri dishes for the samples
10. Label dishes by cm interval and by core ID (try going in cycles of three to six). I find it helps to
also write the beaker number in parentheses for another reference.
Ex: PS1410-08
0-1 Cm (B: 65)
11. Take the 2.50 µm sieve and place it in the sink.
12. Grab a beaker that was taken off the hot plate and pour contents into the sieve (make sure
everything is poured out of the beaker, spray the sides of the beaker using the rubber tubing
connected to DI water spout or with a water bottle).
13. Spray the sediments within the sieve for 1-2 minutes with the rubber tubing (make sure all
clumps are broken up and remember to spray the edges of the sieve)
14. Once the sample appears ready, use the tubing and spray the sediments towards a corner,
pooling remaining materials. Spray the sides of the sieve and within the indents where the mesh
meets the plastic rim.
15. Pour into labeled petri dish (It helps to lightly let water flow from the back of the sieve and flow
down into a readied dish. Make sure not to pour too much water into the dish, it will overflow
quickly).
16. Place dishes in the oven. Make sure that the temperature does not exceed 100°C as the plastic
will melt.
17. Let samples dry

Phase 4: Counting Charcoal

Materials Needed:

 Dried petri samples

 Counting grid (1-100)
 Counting plate
 Binocular microscope
 Microscope lights
 Counter tool
 Paint brush
 Glass vials
 1. Place counting grid inside of counting plate, mark your petri dish where it lines up with the
arrow on the counting table (Figure 4) so that you can come back to counting in the correct area
if you run out of time while in the lab.

Figure 4. Marking where the dish lines up with this arrow will allow you to work on one sample on
multiple days and ensuring that the whole dish will be seen.

2. Place under microscope, position and adjust lighting so that no shadows fall on the sample.
Should appear like below image (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Views from microscope, sediments are spread out within grids and within blue areas. Depicted
1-70, you will be working with a 1-100 grid.

3. First zoom into a square and count any charcoal present within it, keep track on your counter.
Pick up any pieces within the square with your paintbrush, wetting the tip and lightly getting the
pieces to stick. Place charcoal within a labeled tube with core ID and cm interval, fill with a few
drops of water so that the charcoal is deposited in the vial.
4. Count within the whole grid 1-100 then count the area around the grid (blue areas), start at the
top or bottom and work around turning counter-clockwise.
5. Charcoal is often mistaken as hornblende, make sure the potential charcoal has no cleavage, is
elongated and has an airy look (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Pieces of charcoal within a grid square under binocular microscope. Pieces are irregularly
shaped, black and look granular.

6. Once pieces within the grid and outside of the grid have been counted, use the above method to
count the lid of the dish.
7. Record the total number of pieces found and place finished interval vials in the oven.
8. Take out once water has evaporated from the vials and cap.

Phase 6: Calculating Abundance

1. Divide number of charcoal pieces by volume of scoop used (1.25 cc).

2. Plot on graph, abundance (y) as a function of interval (x).

* Abundance of charcoal will have implications of fire frequency throughout time.