Microplastic Reference Material – Environmentally relevant polymer fibers (50–1000 µm)
Synthetic, semisynthetic and natural fiber filaments obtained from textile threads. These environmentally relevant materials are suitable for microscopy, spectroscopy, method development and various quality-control applications.
Production
Each batch is produced by cutting virgin macroplastic textile or cordage materials into short fibers, which are then sieved and filtered to achieve a defined length distribution. Concentrations are quantified in-house using critical angle darkfield (CADFLI) microscopy and image analysis techniques to ensure consistency and traceability.
Sample content
- Buoyancy kit: PP (0.91 g/cm³) [Ø = 37.5 ± 2.3 µm] + PET (1.38 g/cm³) [Ø = 25.5 ± 0.5 µm]
Color combination: PP (Blue), PET (Red)
- Polyester kit: Polyeter [Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)] (Cylindrical+Trilobal).
Color combination: Cylindrical (Blue), Trilobal (Red)
- Synthetic polymers: Polyester [Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cylindrical], Nylon [ Poyliamide 6,6 (PA6.6)], and Acrylic [Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)] + Polypropylene (PP).
Color combination: PET (Blue), PA6,6 (Red), PAN (Violet), PP (Green).
- Natural polymers: Rayon (viscose), Cotton (cellulose), natural polyamide (silk), and wool (keratin).
Color combination: Rayon (Green), Cotton (Blue), Silk (Red), Wool (Violet)
- Synthetic+Natural polymers: Polyester [Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cylindrical], Nylon [ Poyliamide 6,6 (PA6.6)], Acrylic [Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)], Rayon (viscose), Cotton (cellulose), and natural polyamide (silk)
Color combination: PET (Blue), PA6.6 (Red), PAN (Violet), Rayon (Green), Cotton (Clear), Silk (Black)
Particle size range
Standard fiber length range: ~50–1000 µm
Custom size ranges available upon request.
Particle concentration
For EasyMP™ liquid suspensions, you may choose a particle concentration between 300 and 800 fibers(n)/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.
Color options
Clear/transparent: All fibers are prepared in clear/transparent color option.
Unique color per polymer type: All polymer types (see section Sample Content for details).
Format
EasyMP™ reference materials are available in the following formats:
Ethanol (95 vol%)
Water with ethanol (20 vol%) + Tween 20 (0.01 vol%)
Both formulations ensure effective fiber dispersion. The 20% ethanol + Tween 20 option is not classified as a dangerous good, which helps reduce shipping costs and simplify handling. Pure ethanol may be preferred for applications requiring zero surfactant content.
2. Dry, neat format
• Provided in 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 g aliquots.
• 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
• Ideal for toxicology studies. Simply pluck the desired amount of fiber and resuspend it in the solution of your choice. We recommend using water containing 0.01 vol.% Tween 20 or Tween 80 as a non-cytotoxic dispersant.
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
Fiber length distribution
Number of fibers 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.
Fiber source material
Microplastic fibers are obtained from the mechanical processing of textile products and may contain additives or treatments present in synthetic fabrics. The use of real-world textile materials improves the environmental relevance 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
Applications and limitations of Mixed Polymer Composition (MPC) samples
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.
Because MPC samples are prepared by combining multiple individually characterized batches, they inherently carry a slightly higher overall uncertainty than single-polymer reference materials. We do not recommend using MPC samples for recovery experiments unless users perform their own microscopy 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.
