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Biobased testing measures the percentage of recent biological carbon in materials that have traditionally been derived exclusively from petroleum products. These include a growing range of materials, from bio-based plastics, to ethanol-containing fuels, to cleaning products, paints and fertilizers.

Determination of carbon content is performed using the ASTM D5291 test method, among other methods. Along with carbon content analysis in hydrocarbons, Intertek labs provide hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen content test data for petroleum, refined petroleum products, other hydrocarbons and biofuels, and edible oils.

ASTM D6866 refers to the standard test methods for determining the biogenic carbon content of solid, liquid, and gaseous samples using radiocarbon analysis. Methods include Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC), Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) techniques.

This is achieved normally via one of three techniques: accelerator mass spectrometry, gas proportional counting or liquid scintillation counting. Based upon the results of those methods, the researchers can then determine what percentage of the sample is composed of biogenic carbons.

ASTM D6866 is the standard test method developed by ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) to determine the biobased carbon/biogenic carbon content of solid, liquid, and gaseous samples using radiocarbon analysis.

Biogenic CO2 refers to carbon in wood, paper, grass trimmings, and other biofuels that was originally removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis and, under natural conditions, would eventually cycle back to the atmosphere as CO2 due to degradation processes.

Biobased and biogenic are both defined as materials containing carbon of renewable origin, e.g. new carbon from plant, animal, fungi, microorganisms or marine materials. Typically, biobased is used to define a product of biogenic origin, but these terms are often used interchangeably.

Examples of biogenic CO2 emissions include: CO2 from the combustion of biogas collected from biological decomposition of waste in landfills, wastewater treatment, or manure management processes. CO2 from combustion of the biological fraction of municipal solid waste or biosolids.