Chiron AS in Trondheim, Norway, Has Developed The World's First Commercial Microplastic Reference Materials
TRONDHEIM, Norway, April 9, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Chiron AS, now part of ZeptoMetrix®, has developed the world's very first commercially available microplastic reference materials. This revolutionary new product range, called MicroPRefs®, was developed in close collaboration with the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and was made possible by grants from the EU project EUROqCHARM and Innovation Norway.
Microplastic particles are found in large quantities in water, soil, and in the air. Plastic pollution of various kinds breaks down in nature into tiny particles. These range in size from macro- to nano-sized particles. Microplastics are also carriers of various environmental toxins such as PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) and brominated flame retardants, and cause significant environmental and health risks to communities around the world.
“In order to measure the quantity and type of microplastic substances present, there is a need for a yardstick or a 'reference material,' which is a material developed in the laboratory that can be used for comparison. ZeptoMetrix’s Chiron AS business has now developed the very first commercially available microplastic reference materials for the six most abundant plastics in nature. New variants will follow successively throughout this year,” stated Huiling Liu, Ph.D., Senior Director, R&D Analytical Reference Materials.
MicroPRefs® microplastic reference materials feature a novel tablet format containing a defined number of particles. The particles produced are of known plastic type and were designed to provide sizes and shapes that mimic microplastics found in nature. The tablets are dissolved in water and then analyzed using various methods and in parallel with real samples from nature.
The first single polymer tablets produced contain microplastic particles ranging in size between 50 and 300 micron. Multi-polymer tablets contain a mixture of three different plastic types. Further variants containing different size, quantity and combinations of plastics are planned to support researchers in their endeavors.
“The need to monitor microplastics in our surroundings is paramount to protecting the ongoing health of our communities. ZeptoMetrix is committed to fostering innovations that will help solve real-world issues as laboratories around the world can now deliver microplastics test results with greater confidence,” stated Evangeline Gonzalez, President of ZeptoMetrix. “In addition, our scientists are partnering with industry organizations and leading laboratories to incorporate microplastics into our innovative proficiency testing programs.”
About ZeptoMetrix
Chiron AS is part of ZeptoMetrix®, an Antylia Scientific company. ZeptoMetrix is the industry leader and manufacturer for innovative solutions solving challenges in the evolving Diagnostic Microbiology, Infectious Disease, and Oncology markets, as well as Analytical Reference Materials for the Applied Markets. We focus on our customers' success by providing premium product quality, reliability, and expert technical knowledge, enabling our customers to develop and advance many applications across diagnostics, pharmaceutical, environmental, food and beverage industries. From in-stock solutions to custom control and panel development, our scientific teams provide our customers with comprehensive, performance-oriented, and cost-effective products and services that positively impact the field of clinical diagnostics, analytical testing and contribute to a healthier world. ZeptoMetrix is a division of Antylia Scientific, an operating company of premier life science and diagnostic brands, including Cole-Parmer, Environmental Express and ZeptoMetrix.
Source: ZeptoMetrix
