EasyMP: Diverse and Environmentally Relevant Microplastic Reference Materials Encompassing Fragments and Fibers

ABSTRACT The field of microplastic (MP) research has expanded significantly since the terminology's inception in 2004. However, despite growing interest in MP research, the availability of environmentally relevant MP reference materials (RMs) remains limited. This study introduces data to support the validation of “EasyMP”; a diverse range of commercially available MP RMs. The current study presents data on fragments (10–100 µm) and fibers (50–1000 µm) suspended in 95 vol.% ethanol solution at various MP concentrations (n/mL). A total of 10 EasyMP MP RM samples containing either fragments or fibers were evaluated for repeatability. Relative standard deviation (RSD) of particle concentration irrespective of particle size, was determined at 10% ( n = 5) for fragments (10–100 µm) and 9% ( n = 5) for fibers (50–1000 µm). In addition, size group‐specific RSD was evaluated to determine the consistency of the particle size distribution between four individual subsamples. For fragments (10–100 µm), size‐group specific RSD on the order of 10 µm was consistently below 20%, while RSD for fibers on the order of 50 µm varied between 17% and 51%. EasyMP MP RMs are available for purchase on www.microplastic.store , and are customizable to meet user‐specific requirements, addressing a current gap in MP research.