Purified Terephthalic Acid

ASTM's Purified Terephthalic Acid(PTA) Proficiency Testing Program provides laboratories with a statistical quality assurance (SQA) tool, enabling them to compare, improve, and maintain, a high level of performance in the use of ASTM methods with other laboratories worldwide. PTA testing, measures components of Purified Terephthalic Acid for its use in many products including soft drink bottles, polyester fiber and polyester film. The industry has been changing. Years agoCronar, Mylar, and x-ray film were polyester. There has been a continual effort to improve the speed of producing polyester fiber as well as reducing the thickness of the fiber for new applications. These changes have required improving the purity of PTA. Recently there has been a significant increase in the demand for microfiber. Microfiber requires higher purity PTA. So now there are two different specifications for PTA. The only difference is the amount of p-toluic acid.

Conducted two times annually, this program provides a commercially available sample, electronic report forms, and test instructions for each test cycle. Your laboratory performs the PTA analyses using the published ASTM standard practice cited in the program.All data and related information generated from the program is coded to maintain lab confidentiality.

Test instructions and data report forms are distributed electronically to each participant on the date samples are distributed. Labs have approximately 8 weeks to submit test data with the final statistical summary reports being electronically distributed in approximately 20 business days.

ASTM's Proficiency Test Program provides you with:

• A useful and meaningful statistical quality assurance tool to monitor the strengths and weaknesses of your laboratory's performance in conducting testing.
• The resource you need to satisfy proficiency testing elements of laboratory accreditation.
• A periodic comparison of test results with other participating laboratories. Make sure your lab results are consistent with other laboratories.
• Impurities are critical, particularly p-toluic acid. Customers want to be sure that product they purchase from one producer are the same as from other producers. When accepting the product, the lab needs to be sure they are consistent with the producer.

We plan to have product with different levels of p-toluic acid including product with low p-toluic acid and higher purity p-toluic acid. We will also try to have product from different producers.

NOTE:This list of methods is subject to change, especially if new methods are developed.

Test samples are prepared and distributed for ASTM International by SGS North America Deer Park, TX. Program registration fees include the cost of shipping the test samples to U.S. participants or, for international participants, to a third-party shipping agent located in the U.S.

• Ship through a third-party shipping agent - Provide ASTM International with the complete contact information of a designated Shipping Agent located in the U.S. who will be responsible for shipping samples from the U.S. to your facility. Participants are responsible for making financial and shipping arrangements directly with the shipping agent.
  • Please be advised that when samples are shipped, an e-mail is sent only to the contact of record on your ASTM PTP account. It is the customer’s responsibility to advise their designated shipper that the sample has been shipped.
  • We cannot permit shipping agents to pick up samples at our distributors’ warehouses.
• Ship directly from the sample distributor via UPS or FEDEX - Provide ASTM International with your shipping account number to cover shipping charges. Check that your carrier will deliver the test materials to your location. Materials classified as Hazardous may have restrictions.
  • You are responsible for additional fees charged-back to our distributor for any reason relative to your sample shipment including, but not limited to, fees for fuel surcharges, missing/invalid account numbers, dangerous goods, remote area delivery, and multiple delivery attempts.

Participation is on an annual fee basis and open to all laboratories. Registration fees must be paid in advance to participate. Testing must be performed within the participant's laboratory facilities. (All data and related information generated from the program is coded to maintain lab confidentiality.)

ASTM Committee D16 on Aromatic, Industrial, Specialty, and Related Chemicals was formed in 1944. D16 meets twice a year, in January and June, with approximately 40 members attending two and one half days of technical meetings and presentations on relevant topics in the industry. Technical presentations have included Technology of p-Xylene, Cumene, Phenol and Bisphenol-A, Gas Chromatography, and Calorimetry. The Committee, with a current membership of over 110 members, has jurisdiction over 80 standards including test methods, material specifications and practices, published in March in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 06.04. D16 has 7 technical subcommittees that maintain jurisdiction over these standards. Information on this subcommittee structure and D16's portfolio of approved standards and Work Items under development are available from the List of Subcommittees and Standards. These standards play a preeminent role in all aspects important to aromatic hydrocarbons, their derivatives, and related chemicals.

This committee provides the technical direction for the PTP program. Test information generated through the program is utilized by Committee D16 to improve standard tests. Data are coded at all times.

For Additional Information please contact:

John Gallagher - +1-610-832-9646