HPLC purity vs assay — reading numbers correctly

Research & laboratory use only

This article supports qualified researchers. It is not medical advice and must not be used to plan human or veterinary administration.

HPLC purity (area%) reports the main peak’s share of UV-absorbing species. Assay / net peptide content estimates how much peptide mass is actually present (accounting for salts, water, etc.). A high HPLC% with a lower assay is common and not automatically a red flag — but a COA with a percentage and no chromatogram is a weaker document.

  • Prefer COAs that include chromatogram traces and MS identity.
  • Match lot numbers on the COA to the vial in hand.
  • Record both purity and identity method in your notebook.

Further study

External links are educational. Prefer institutional and peer-reviewed sources; ignore any “home injection” framing on third-party pages.

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