Microplastic Reference Material – Mixed polymer composition (Beads, 10–30 µm, 40–60 µm, 100–140 µm)
Near monodisperse polymer microspheres to meet your analytical needs, suitable for microscopy, spectroscopy, and various microplastic method development and quality control applications. With data based on four subsamples from each batch. All samples are accompanied by a sample-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA), ensuring transparency and reproducibility.
 
Production
Our microplastic beads are sourced from external suppliers and suspended in solution at Microplastic Solution. Concentrations are quantified in-house using critical angle darkfield (CADFLI) microscopy and image analysis techniques to ensure consistency and traceability.
 
Sample content
Buoyancy set
The sample contains a mixture of buoyant positive (0.96 g/cm³) polyethylene (PE) beads in red or clear/transparent color option and buoyant negative (1.20 g/cm³) polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) beads only in clear/transparent color option, in similar qunatities.
 
3 Polymers
The sample contains a mixture of PE (0.98 g/cm³), PS (1.07 g/cm³), and PMMA (1.20 g/cm³) in similar quantities. This option is availble only in the 10-30 µm size range in clear/transparent color option.
 
Particle size range
Standard size ranges:
10–30 µm
40–60 µm
100–140 µm
 
Particle concentration
You may choose a particle concentration within the following standard ranges:
10–30 µm: 400 to 4,000 particles/mL
40–60 µm: 200 to 2,000 particles/mL
100–140 µm: 100 to 1,000 particles/mL
Higher or lower concentrations may be possible – contact us to discuss your requirements.
If no concentration is selected within the indicated range, a value will be chosen for you.
 
Format
EasyMP™ reference materials are provided in liquid suspension and are available in two standard formulations:
Ethanol (95 vol%)
Water with ethanol (20 vol%) + Tween 20 (0.05 vol%)
Available in 30 mL or 100 mL volumes. Both formulations ensure effective particle dispersion. The 20% ethanol + Tween 20 option is not classified as a dangerous good, reducing shipping costs and simplifying handling. The 95% ethanol formulation may be preferred for applications requiring zero surfactant content
 
Certificate of Analysis
All EasyMP™ 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 mL
Treated and raw data, including micrographs from which the data was derived
COAs are accessible via a weblink or QR code printed on each sample label.
 
Beads source of origin
Our microplastic beads are sourced from commercial suppliers. As with many plastic microspheres available on the market, they may contain unknown additives. Whenever possible, we prioritize beads used in industrial processes to increase the relevance of your analyses.
 
How to best use Mixed Polymer Composition (MPC) samles
In essence, mixed polymer composition (MPC) samples are produced following the same principle as standard single-polymer EasyMP™ samples. For MPC samples, previously quantified dry, neat single-polymer powders are weighed individually and then combined to form a homogeneous mixed powder. Based on the characterization data of the individual components, the corresponding data for the MPC sample are extrapolated to generate a comprehensive dataset.
 
MPC samples provide research laboratories with a practical tool to assess method limitations, build spectral libraries, train personnel, and evaluate analytical workflows under more complex and realistic conditions.

Because MPC samples involve additional preparation steps that may introduce further uncertainty, they inherently carry a higher overall uncertainty than single-polymer samples. Consequently, we do not recommend using MPC samples for recovery experiments unless users perform their own spectroscopic analysis of the filter contents to precisely establish the sample composition.
 
Contact
If you have questions regarding how MPC samples may suit your specific application, please feel free to reach out or do you need a price quote to place your order? Click here to contact us, or write to us directly at contact@microplasticsolution.com.