Restek Reference Standards

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Access SDS and Certificates

Restek reference standards are manufactured in ISO-accredited labs in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and over 98% of the Restek-manufactured standards in our catalog are certified reference materials (CRMs). Each one is built on verified raw materials, backed by ISO accreditation, and shipped with documentation you can access anytime from anywhere.

To browse standards by application, use our free tools, or place an order, visit the Restek reference standards hub page.

Restek Reference Standards at a Glance

What is a certified reference material (CRM)?

A certified reference material (CRM) is a reference standard produced and certified under ISO 17034 and ISO/IEC 17025 with certified values and their associated uncertainties reported on the certificate of analysis. To qualify as a Restek CRM, a standard must meet three criteria:

• Made of raw materials characterized via qualified methods on qualified instruments.
• Produced in an ISO-accredited lab under documented procedures.
• Falls under the manufacturer’s scopes of accreditation.

Many laboratories are required to purchase CRMs to satisfy their own ISO requirements, but even if you are not, you can still benefit from the performance, reliability, and consistency of Restek certified reference materials.

Is Restek ISO 17034 accredited?

Yes. Restek’s reference standards labs are accredited to ISO 17034 and ISO/IEC 17025 by A2LA, and the scopes of accreditation cover custom orders as well as catalog standards. Over 98% of the Restek-manufactured reference standards in the catalog, singles and multicomponent mixes alike, are certified reference materials. Restek has also held ISO 9001 registration since 1994.

Restek reports a combined uncertainty for every standard it produces, covering manufacturing, testing, storage, and shipping, so its ISO 17034 accreditation applies to custom formulations as well as stock products.

View Restek’s certificates and scopes of accreditation on the ISO quality credentials page.

What levels of certificate of analysis does Restek offer?

Restek offers three levels of ISO-compliant certificate of analysis (CofA): Gravimetric, Chromatographic, and Chromatographic Plus. All three report raw material information, lot numbers, purity, isomer ratios, and calculated concentrations plus uncertainties for CRMs. Chromatographic adds a verification chromatogram of a packaged unit; Chromatographic Plus adds triplicate analysis, a second-lot comparison, and a full data pack.

Electronic and archived on Restek’s servers, certificates, as well as safety data sheets (SDSs) for your stock or custom standard are available any time and from anywhere. In addition, SDSs for stock standards are automatically prepared in multiple languages, and non-English translations can be requested for custom reference standards. And your information is protected because a lot # is required to view certificates for all custom standards.

For even more convenience, every Restek reference standard offers personalized, instant access to documentation. Just scan the QR code on your ampul storage tube label to go directly to the certificate of analysis for your specific standard and lot # on Restek.com. In addition, large pictograms on our GHS-compliant labels better promote safety in your lab, helping you meet OSHA, CLP, and other government requirements.

Find documentation for all of your stock and custom Restek reference standards with SDS & COA Search.

What comes with each Restek reference standard?

Every Restek reference standard ships with a two-part vial and notebook label carrying full handling instructions, plus a QR code on the storage tube label that links to the certificate of analysis for that exact lot. Stock standards under 5 mL also include a deactivated screw-top vial and a free Restek Safe Cracker for transfer.

By attaching vial and notebook labels to the ampul and each other, our two-part labels are hard to lose and easy to use. Full handling instructions on both labels help ensure the integrity of your standards before and after transfer.

Can Restek formulate a custom reference standard?

Yes. Restek’s labs develop 200+ new custom standard formulations each month. More than 1/3 of the ampuls that leave our facility are custom-ordered reference standards, and almost all of them are certified reference materials (CRMs). That’s because Restek’s ISO scopes of accreditation cover not only our catalog standards but also your custom orders.

All custom standard requests are reviewed by our experienced team of formulations chemists to confirm feasibility, to make you aware of any chemical compatibility concerns, and to detail our recommendations for the most robust formulation possible. In short, we give you the flexibility to order Restek standards to your exacting specifications—and the confidence of knowing that you will receive the same top-quality, highly stable product whether it’s a stock, off-the-shelf standard, or a one-of-a-kind, custom-formulated solution.

Need the same custom standard on a regular schedule? A standing order ships recurring deliveries from a single manufactured batch, lowering your cost per analysis and reducing lot-to-lot variability. Learn how in Get More from Every Custom Batch.

Request a custom standards quote.

Can Restek supply both primary and secondary source standards?

Yes. Restek routinely prepares two independently produced lots of stock reference materials, made by two different technicians on two different NIST-traceable balances. That lets Restek serve as both your primary and secondary source, meeting strict secondary-source requirements without adding a second vendor. Different raw material lots are available on request.

How does Restek manufacture its reference standards?

Restek manufactures its reference standards in ISO-accredited labs in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, plus a dedicated PFAS manufacturing facility, using an automated, barcode-driven production system that calculates weights and generates documentation without manual data entry. Every catalog standard passes feasibility, stability, scale-up, and operational stage gates during development.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: Our ISO-accredited laboratories in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, feature cutting-edge environmental controls and web-based monitoring systems that protect both our people and the performance of every standard we manufacture, running three shifts a day to keep pace with demand without cutting corners. A dedicated PFAS manufacturing facility further supports the accuracy and purity your trace-level analysis depends on.

Automated Production System: Every raw material is barcoded, so technicians never calculate weights or reenter data by hand, a must when managing multiple lots of more than 6300 raw materials. A label scan calculates, validates, and transfers the exact amount needed for each mix, and our data pack builder generates documentation automatically with every batch.

Robust Product Development: Every catalog standard moves through feasibility, stability, scale-up, and operational stage gates, and a red flag at any checkpoint stops development until it’s resolved. For select, high-purity, or hard-to-source neat materials, we synthesize in-house, and our proprietary deactivation process for glassware and ampuls protects sample integrity from the moment a standard is packaged.

How does Restek verify raw material purity?

Restek’s QC lab fully characterizes every incoming raw material, both mixture components and solvents, to confirm chemical identity and purity rather than accepting vendor-reported values. Purity below 99% is corrected for in the formulation. A second chemist reviews each formulation for accuracy, compatibility, and solubility, and long-term stability studies support shelf-life reporting.

During production, compound compatibility is continuously scrutinized, and ongoing stability studies keep shelf-life claims current: at least 95% of Restek products provide a 12-month shelf life or longer.

10 Critical Steps to World-Class Reference Standards

Whether it’s a stock, off-the-shelf reference standard or a one-of-a-kind, custom-formulated solution, there are 10 critical steps that Restek takes to separate our reference standards from the competition. Walk through our process with us.

More answers in our reference standards FAQs.