What Is a CoA? Certificate of Analysis Explained, How to Read It & a TCI Sample

A CoA (Certificate of Analysis) is the manufacturer's quality test certificate for one production lot of a chemical. It lists the parameters tested, the results for that lot, and the specification limits, so buyers can confirm the material meets the promised quality. Because it is lot-specific, every lot number has its own CoA.

A real sample CoA from TCI

Below is a TCI (Tokyo Chemical Industry) sample CoA for Triamyl Phosphate (P0265). It shows the document format; the values on your CoA follow the lot you receive.

View TCI sample CoA (PDF)

Parts of a CoA and what they mean

Section Meaning
Chemical Name / Product Number / CAS RN Product identity: substance name, manufacturer catalogue code (TCI P0265), and CAS number (2528-38-3).
Lot Production lot number. At TCI it is 4–5 characters; anything after that is an internal control number. It links your bottle to its CoA.
Quality release date Date the lot passed the manufacturer's quality testing.
Recommended retest date Date by which re-testing is recommended if the material is still in use.
Tests Parameters tested, e.g. Appearance, Purity (GC), and structure confirmation (NMR).
Results Test results for that lot, e.g. purity 98.7%.
Specifications Limits that must be met, e.g. purity min. 98.0%. The lot passes when every result is within specification.
QA signature The manufacturer's Quality Assurance officer who certifies the document.

How to read a CoA

  1. Match the lot number on the CoA with the bottle label.
  2. Compare Results with Specifications for each test (e.g. 98.7% meets min. 98.0%).
  3. Note the test method (GC, HPLC, titration) when comparing purity across products.
  4. Record the recommended retest date for materials stored long-term.

CoA vs SDS vs specification

Document Content Applies to
CoA Quality test results One production lot
SDS / MSDS Hazards, handling, storage, first aid The product (all lots). Find an MSDS
Specification Quality limits guaranteed by the manufacturer The product (all lots)

Find a sample CoA

Getting the CoA for your lot

The lot-specific CoA and SDS are sent with the quotation/order or on request. For TCI products, most bottles carry a 2D code on top of the cap that can be scanned to open the CoA and SDS for that lot.

Request a CoA via WhatsApp

Source