What a Certificate of Analysis represents

A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a batch-specific document summarising the analytical checks performed on a particular production lot. It links a physical batch or lot number to the tests carried out and the results recorded against a defined specification.

A COA is not a marketing document. It is a record intended to help a laboratory confirm that the material received corresponds to the batch described and meets the stated analytical criteria.

Key fields to review

Batch or lot number: this should match the label on the physical product. It is the primary key that ties documentation to material.

Identity method and result: describes how molecular identity was assessed, commonly using techniques such as mass spectrometry.

Stated purity and method: the purity figure and the analytical method used to determine it, for example high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Test date and laboratory: when the analysis was performed and by whom, supporting traceability.

Using a COA responsibly

A COA supports verification and record-keeping within a qualified laboratory environment. It does not change the intended use of a material, which remains laboratory research only.