Frequently Asked Questions

PTL’s normal receiving hours are 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. We accept sample shipments via UPS, FedEx, USPS, various couriers such as DHL and World Courier, and even drop-offs from local clients. If you are shipping internationally, please ensure all relevant customs paperwork is included with the shipment.

Particle Technology Labs is open during most public holidays with few exceptions.

Please note the following closures to plan for shipments that may require expedited service, temperature control, or other special consideration. Samples are not received or processed on weekends and on the following days in 2023:

Memorial Day – May 29
Independence Day – July 4
Labor Day – September 4
Thanksgiving – November 23 & 24
Christmas – December 22 & 25
New Year’s – December 29 & January 1, 2024

To avoid any delays in processing once your sample shipment arrives at PTL, please be sure to include a completed Lab Service Order (LSO) form, payment information (a purchase order or credit card information), and a safety data sheet for your material(s). All three of these items are required to initiate testing.

• Paperwork should accompany samples shipped to PTL in order to avoid processing delays.
• Packages can be sent to the address/Attn at the top of the LSO form.
• Electronic copies of POs may be sent to orders@particletechlabs.com if they cannot be shipped with the samples.

When samples are shipped without these documents, it takes time for our Order Entry team to track down clues to figure out what the material is, to whom it belongs, which tests are required, and who is paying for the work. This can add significant delays to the project, especially if the samples have been shipped by a different company (partner, CMO, etc.), where it is not easy to connect the dots.

And YES, we do need that SDS (preferably every time you submit). Considering we collaborate with many different industries, we must assume all samples are hazardous until we have the appropriate safety paperwork in place.

We do not require clients to obtain a quote prior to analysis. However, we do require a copy of a Purchase Order that reflects pricing for the work we’ll be performing (or credit card information). So if you need a formal quote to obtain a PO on your end, we’re happy to provide one.

In order to submit samples for analysis, we do not require an account set up. However, please see above for shipment requirements including what needs to be included with the shipment.

PTL accepts purchase orders and major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, and American Express). If using a purchase order, we request a copy of the order.

Projects will be billed upon completion of the work.

Once your sample shipment has arrived and been logged into PTL’s system, the analytical contact(s) listed in Section 1 of the Laboratory Service Order(LSO) form will receive a confirmation email that contains the assigned PTL Project number and anticipated due date for preliminary (instrument) results. The final report of findings will be issued approximately one week after the preliminary results via ShareFile®.

Standard service offers preliminary data within 10 business days of sample receipt, with the final report following about one week later. There are two Rush options as well: 50% RUSH service offers preliminary data within 6 business days of sample receipt for a 50% surcharge, and 100% RUSH service offers preliminary data within 2 business days of sample receipt for a 100% surcharge (double the analytical price). Regardless of the selected turnaround time, a signed final report is electronically issued using Sharefile® approximately one week after the preliminary results email.

If you would like additional testing performed on your samples, reach out to your former project director or our Sales team (Sales@particletechlabs.com)! We don’t dispose of samples immediately after the testing is complete (length of time depends on the storage condition; controlled room temperature samples are retained for a minimum of six months). Our team can help set up additional testing to meet your needs, confirm sample amounts retained are sufficient, and provide a quote for the additional work.

Sample amount is not an easy question to answer, because it depends on the particle size, morphology, and general nature of the material, as well as the technique that will be used. On each technique’s page, we have the ideal sample amount recommendations, but we can discuss the requirements in more detail specifically for your application. Please feel free to reach out if sample amounts are limited.

We do not have generic, pre-validated methods for any materials. However, we do offer method development and validation services, or method transfers if you have a method already in place for this work.