Research use only. The information below concerns laboratory reference materials for in-vitro research and makes no medical, therapeutic, diagnostic, cosmetic or performance claims.
A certificate of analysis (COA) records what an independent laboratory measured for one specific lot of a reference material. Reading it correctly is the basis of reproducible in-vitro work.
Identity (LC-MS / ESI-MS)
Mass spectrometry compares the observed mass with the theoretical molecular weight, confirming that the molecule in the vial is the one named on the label.
Purity (RP-HPLC)
Reversed-phase HPLC reports the area-percent of the main peak; a high area-percent indicates a low level of chromatographic impurities in the tested sample.
Net peptide content, water and counterion
Net peptide content, water (Karl Fischer) and the counterion or salt form (for example acetate or trifluoroacetate) affect how much actual peptide a stated mass contains — important when calculating stock concentrations.
Lot traceability
Always check that the lot number on the COA matches the vial. A COA is only meaningful for the exact lot it describes.