Radiocarbon is a powerful tool for studies of carbon cycling in the ocean. Development of measurement technology of accelerator mass spectrometry has enabled researchers to measure radiocarbon even in specific compounds. In this paper, a brief introduction on radiocarbon measurement and reporting of radiocarbon data is provided. Researches that used radiocarbon measurements on bulk organic matter, organic compound classes, and specific organic compounds are reviewed. Examples include works to understand the cycling of particulate and dissolved organic matter, biochemical composition of particulate organic matter, post-depositional transport of sedimentary organic matter, selective incorporation of fresh organic matter by benthic organisms, chemoautotrophy by archaea, and sources of halogenated chemical compounds found in marine mammals.