Read the report in order
- Match the lot. Compare the vial and inventory record with the certificate's lot or sample identification.
- Identify the laboratory. Check who issued the report and whether it is an in-house or third-party result.
- Check the record. Look for a report date and an accession or report number. Ask the issuing lab how verification works.
- Read the methods and results. Note units, limits and whether supporting data are available.
Common fields
| Field | What to check |
|---|---|
| Identity | The method and evidence supporting the named material |
| Chromatographic purity | The method, reported peak-area result and supporting trace |
| Measured content | Whether content was tested, in what units and by which method |
| Endotoxin | Whether a test was performed and its reported limit and result |
| Microbial screening | The method and organisms or signals it covers; this is not a sterility claim |
Keep the limits clear
A report characterizes the tested sample under the stated method. It is not a guarantee about every vial, subsequent handling or untested contaminants. A purity percentage is not a measured milligram fill.
Sterility is separateIdentity, purity, endotoxin and microbial screening do not establish sterility. USP <71> addresses sterility testing; USP <85> addresses bacterial endotoxins. Scale does not test sterility, and its products are not for human or clinical use.
Review the actual documents before ordering
Available certificates vary by lot. Review the documents in the portal and ask about any method, result or missing field that matters to your research.