LABORATORY TESTING
How Is Peptide Purity Tested? HPLC and Mass Spectrometry Explained
Understand what HPLC and mass spectrometry can reveal about a research sample, and where their limits are.
What purity means
Purity is a statement about measured composition under a defined method. It is not a universal statement that a material is safe, suitable for people, or free from every possible contaminant.
HPLC
High-performance liquid chromatography separates components as they pass through a column. A chromatogram plots detector response against time; peaks can indicate separated components. Reported purity often depends on the detector, integration rules and method validation.
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry measures ions according to mass-to-charge ratio. It can support an identity assessment by comparing observed and expected molecular mass, while related species or adducts require careful interpretation.
Reading results together
HPLC and MS answer different questions: separation and relative signal on one hand, molecular-mass evidence on the other. A certificate should identify the batch, methods, laboratory and acceptance criteria.