Reading and Requesting a Certificate of Analysis (COA)

What a COA is

A Certificate of Analysis reports analytical results for a specific lot of material. For research peptides it commonly includes:

• Product / chemical identity
• Lot or batch number
• Appearance
• Purity by HPLC (or equivalent)
• Identity support by mass spectrometry (MS / LC-MS)
• Sometimes water content, residual solvents, or other method-specific fields

A COA is lot-specific. It does not automatically speak for every future lot of the same catalog name.

Why independent lab data matters

Independent laboratory testing separates manufacturing from the party reporting purity and identity. When you evaluate a supplier, prefer lot records you can reconcile to the vial in hand.

How to read HPLC purity

HPLC separates components in the tested sample; the reported purity is the area percent (or method-defined percent) attributable to the main peak under that method. Compare:

Reported purity vs your acceptance criterion (Sealed Peptides lists a stated purity target of ≥99%), method notes / wavelength / gradient if provided, and impurity profile flags if listed.

How to read MS / LC-MS identity

Mass spectrometry supports identity by relating observed mass information to the expected peptide mass. Treat the lot COA language ("identity confirmed", observed m/z, etc.) as the controlling statement for that sample.

How to request a lot COA from Sealed Peptides

1. Locate the lot number on the vial label.
2. Open the product page for that SKU.
3. Use Request lot COA and include the lot number and order reference.
4. Keep the COA with your research records alongside the vial.

Sealed Peptides does not require you to upload anything to complete a lot COA request. PDFs may be provided by support when available for that lot; the request path is the supported workflow.

Matching vial to paperwork

1. Catalog name / code matches the COA
2. Lot number matches
3. Purity and identity fields meet your protocol's gates

What a COA is not

A COA is not FDA approval, not a clinical claim, not permission for human use, and not dosing guidance. Analytical results describe the tested sample under the stated methods.