⚠ Fake COAs — looking for input

Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.

Mass spectrometry confirmation for certificates of analysis: beyond HPLC purity, mass spec tells you the molecule's exact molecular weight. This confirms identity — not just purity.

Why this matters: HPLC can show you a "pure" compound, but if it's pure of the WRONG compound, purity is meaningless. Mass spec at m/z 4113.58 Da confirms it's actually semaglutide. My Janoshik report includes both HPLC and mass spec.

If your testing provider only offers HPLC, consider upgrading to include mass spec for at least your first batch from a new vendor.

pat_auckland said:

Mass spectrometry confirmation for certificates of analysis: beyond HPLC purity, mass spec tells you the molecule's exact molecular weight.

This matches mine closely enough to be worth saying so out loud.

pat_auckland said:

Mass spectrometry confirmation for certificates of analysis: beyond HPLC purity, mass spec tells you the molecule's exact molecular weight.

HPLC results interpretation for certificates of analysis: when you get your Janoshik report back, here's what the numbers mean:

• Purity %: Should be >97%. Below 95% is concerning.
• Retention time: Should match reference standard for the peptide
• Related substances: Degradation products should be <2% total
• Single impurity: No individual impurity should exceed 1%

My last batch: 99.4% purity, 0.0% total related substances. Clean chromatogram with single sharp peak at expected retention time. Exactly what you want to see.

pat_auckland said:

Mass spectrometry confirmation for certificates of analysis: beyond HPLC purity, mass spec tells you the molecule's exact molecular weight.

Third-party testing services for certificates of analysis besides Janoshik:

• Janoshik: Gold standard for peptide community, ~$127, 10-14 day turnaround
• Valitech: US-based, ISO 17025 accredited, ~$247
• Eurofins: Full pharmaceutical testing suite, more expensive but comprehensive
• ChemTox: Basic identity and purity testing, ~$117

Janoshik is the community standard but any ISO-accredited analytical lab can verify peptide identity and purity. The key is independence — don't rely solely on the vendor's own testing.

Moderator note: the sourcing question belongs in the vendor section and has been split out.