Research Library
What a certificate of analysis means
What a certificate of analysis (COA) is, the fields you will usually find on one, and how to check it relates to your material.
Definition
A certificate of analysis is a document issued by a testing laboratory that records the results of tests carried out on a specific batch of material.
Typical fields
Product or compound name, batch or lot number, date of testing, the name of the testing laboratory, the methods used, the specification or acceptance criteria where applicable, and the measured results.
Checking a COA
Confirm the batch number matches your material, that the document identifies the laboratory and method used, and that it is dated. On Albion Research, documentation is only published where it has been supplied and uploaded for that batch; you can look it up on the Batch Verification page.