Reading an HPLC Certificate of Analysis
What is a Certificate of Analysis?
A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) is the document that accompanies a research compound and reports the results of the laboratory tests performed on that specific batch. It is the primary evidence of what is actually in the vial — identity, purity and physical form — and a genuine CoA should always be tied to a specific batch or lot number, not the product in general.
Every Velox Peptides compound is third-party HPLC-tested, with batch documentation available on request. This guide explains how to read the key sections.
What HPLC purity actually means
HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) separates the components of a sample and measures the proportion of each. On a CoA, “HPLC purity” is the percentage of the sample that is the target peptide, with the remainder being related impurities, truncated sequences or residual synthesis reagents.
A figure such as “≥98% HPLC purity” means at least 98% of the material is the intended compound. The accompanying chromatogram — the graph of peaks — should show one dominant peak for the target, with only small secondary peaks. A reputable CoA shows the chromatogram, not just the number.
Why mass spectrometry confirmation matters
HPLC tells you how much of the sample is a single compound, but not which compound. Mass spectrometry (MS) answers the identity question by measuring the molecular weight of the peptide and confirming it matches the expected value for the target sequence.
A CoA that reports both HPLC purity and an MS-confirmed molecular weight gives you two independent assurances: that the material is pure, and that it is the correct molecule. Purity without identity confirmation is only half the picture.
What to check on any CoA
Look for: a specific batch/lot number; the testing laboratory named (ideally an independent third party); the HPLC purity figure with a visible chromatogram; an MS-confirmed molecular weight; the appearance and form (e.g. white lyophilised powder); and a test date. Be cautious of documentation that lacks a batch number, names no laboratory, or shows a number with no underlying chromatogram.
You can review Velox Peptides batch documentation in the CoA library, or read more about our testing process on the Quality & Testing page.