Understanding the Certificate of Analysis (COA) for Research Peptides

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the document that connects a vial of research peptide to the analytical testing performed on its batch. For research-use-only (RUO) work, the COA is a core part of traceable record-keeping. Here is how to read one.

Lot (batch) number

The lot number is the single most important field for traceability. It links the physical material in your hands to a specific production and testing batch. Record it in your lab notebook or LIMS alongside any data generated with that material.

Purity

Purity is most commonly reported by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), expressed as a percentage of the main peak relative to total peak area. NovaCell research peptides are tested to a purity of 99% or greater. The accompanying chromatogram shows the separation visually.

Identity

Identity confirms the material is the peptide it claims to be, typically using mass spectrometry (MS) to verify the molecular weight against the expected value. Some COAs also include the amino-acid sequence for reference.

Why it matters for research

Reproducibility depends on knowing exactly what was used in an experiment. A complete COA — lot number, purity, identity and the methods used — lets a laboratory document its inputs and compare results across batches with confidence.

All compounds are supplied strictly for laboratory research use only and are not intended for human or veterinary use.