Microplastic Reference Material – Environmentally relevant polymer fragments (10–100 µm)
Cryogenically milled and sieved fragments from raw macroplastic items. These environmentally relevant materials are suitable for microscopy, spectroscopy, and various microplastic method development and quality control applications.
Production
Each batch is produced by cryomilling virgin meso- and macroplastic items, followed by cascade sieving through 1000 µm, 500 µm, 100 µm, and 5 µm filter membranes. The final 5 µm filtration step ensures inclusion of smaller, elongated fragments, resulting in a realistic, naturalistic particle distribution. Concentrations are quantified in-house using critical angle darkfield (CADFLI) microscopy and image analysis techniques to ensure consistency and traceability.
Particle size range
Standard size range: 10–100 µm
Custom size ranges (down to 5 µm) available upon request.
Particle concentration
For EasyMP™ liquid suspensions, you may choose a particle concentration between 1,000 and 5,000 particles/mL. Higher or lower concentrations are also possible – please contact us to discuss custom requirements.
If no concentration is selected within this range, a value will be chosen for you.
Format
EasyMP™ fragments (10-100) reference materials are available in two standard formats:
1. Liquid suspensions
• Ethanol (95 vol%)
• Water with ethanol (20 vol%) + Tween 20 (0.05 vol%)Both suspension types ensure effective particle dispersion. The 20% ethanol + Tween 20 formulation is not classified as a dangerous good, which helps reduce shipping costs and simplify handling. Pure ethanol may be preferred for specific applications requiring zero surfactant content.
2. Dry, neat (powder) format
• Provided in 0.5–1.0 g quantities
• Enables long-term storage and flexible resuspension in the solvent or medium of your choice
• Suitable for a wide range of experimental workflows requiring solid-phase dosing or user-defined suspension protocols
Certificate of Analysis
All samples are accompanied by a sample-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA), based on four subsamples from each batch. The COA includes:
• Polymer composition
• Particle size distribution within size groups
• Number of particles per mg or mL
• Treated and raw data, including micrographs from which the data was derivedCOAs are accessible via a weblink or QR code printed on each sample label.
Download Certificate of Analysis (COA) examples:
Note
Fragments are derived from cryomilled source plastic products such as beads, pellets or rods and may contain additives present in the original materials. This enhances the environmental realism of the reference material.
Shipping
Orders are typically prepared within 1–2 weeks of confirmation.
Once shipped, parcels are delivered worldwide via DHL Express, usually within 1–3 business days depending on the destination.
Shipping costs are automatically calculated at checkout based on location and format.
Contact
Need a quote or have specific requirements?
Contact us to discuss tailored size ranges, concentrations, or additional customization options.
Microplastic Reference Material: Fragments (10-100 µm)
- Polyethylene (PE): ρ = 0.955 - 1.00 g/cm³
- Poypropylene (PP): ρ = 0.90-0 .92 g/cm³
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): ρ = 1.30 - 1.38 g/cm³
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET): ρ = 1.38 g/cm³
- Polyurethane (PU): ρ = 1.10 - 1.20 g/cm³ [thermoset and thermoplastic (polyether-based)]
- Polystyrene (PS): ρ = 1.03 - 1.05 g/cm³
- Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS): ρ = 1.06 - 1.08 g/cm³
- Polyamide 6 (PA6): ρ = 1.10 - 1.14 g/cm³
- Polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6): ρ = 1.14 g/cm³
- Polyamide 12 (PA12): ρ = 1.01 g/cm³
- Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA): ρ = 1.18 - 1.20 g/cm³
- Polycarbonate (PC): ρ = 1.20 - 1.22 g/cm³
- Polysulfone (PSU): ρ = 1.24 g/cm³
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE): ρ = 2.17 - 2.20 g/cm³
- Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF): ρ = 1.78 g/cm³
- Polyoxymethylene (POM): ρ = 1.40 - 1.42 g/cm³
- Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR): ρ = 0.90 - 0.92 /cm³
- Cellulose acetate (CA): ρ = 1.30 g/cm³
- Polylactid acid (PLA): ρ = 1.20 - 1.30 g/cm³
- Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT): ρ = 1.26 g/cm³
- Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB): ρ = 1.22 g/cm³
- Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA): ρ = 1.26 g/cm³
- Sodium polyacrylate (SPA): ρ = 1.22 g/cm³
Reviews
The microfragments of polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (10-100 µm), dispersed in ethanol, were extremely useful for developing an automated Raman microscopy analysis method for microplastics in water samples. The microplastic dispersion is easy to manipulate, and the COAs provide comprehensive information on the reference materials. Furthermore, the Microplastic Solution team provides a highly responsive and comprehensive service in the event of any problems.
The reference materials distributed by Microplastic Solution are very helpful for the validation and development of state-of-the-art methods for microplastic analysis - from sampling and subsequent extraction of particles from complex matrices to final analysis using microspectroscopic methods. Highly recommended due to the variety of polymers offered, the size distributions, the particle shapes, the speed of delivery and the pleasant communication. Any time again !
I had the opportunity to test a powdered microplastic sample from Microplastic Solutions for my cell culture experiments. I highly appreciated the fragment format, as well as the fact that the powder preparation was sterile and did not cause any contamination issues in my cultures. Additionally, the team at Microplastic Solutions is extremely helpful and offers customized solutions to meet any research needs. Highly recommended!