A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the only objective evidence that the compound in a vial is what its label claims. Yet many researchers accept COAs at face value without knowing how to read one. This guide explains what the two core analyses — HPLC and mass spectrometry — actually demonstrate.
HPLC: the purity number
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography separates the contents of a sample as they pass through a column at different rates. The output chromatogram shows peaks; the target peptide produces the dominant peak, and purity is calculated as that peak’s share of the total peak area. A “99.2% purity” claim means 99.2% of the detected material eluted as the target compound.
What to check on the chromatogram:
- A single dominant, sharp peak — broad or split peaks suggest degradation or related impurities
- Reported retention time consistent with the reference standard
- The integration table matching the headline purity percentage
Mass spectrometry: the identity check
Purity alone does not prove identity — a vial could be 99% pure something else. Mass spectrometry measures the molecular weight of the compound and compares it to the theoretical mass of the target sequence. A matching mass (within instrument tolerance) plus a clean HPLC trace together support both identity and purity.
Red flags on a COA
- No lot/batch number, or a lot number that doesn’t match the vial
- No named testing laboratory or no analyst signature
- Purity claimed without an attached chromatogram
- A single generic COA reused across many products or dates
- Only supplier-internal testing with no independent third-party verification
How Orbitrex handles testing
Every Orbitrex batch is independently tested by third-party laboratories, and every vial carries a QR code linking directly to its lot-specific COA. You can verify the report for any product — for example BPC-157 10mg or PT-141 — before opening the vial. All products are for laboratory research use only.
All products referenced are for laboratory research use only and are not intended for human or veterinary use, diagnosis, or treatment. This article describes laboratory procedures and published research context for educational purposes only.