Testing method
Mass spectrometry identity confirmation
For laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption.
- What it measures
- Whether the material's molecular mass matches the expected mass of the named compound.
- How it works
- The sample is ionised and its ions are separated by mass-to-charge ratio. The observed mass (often several charge states for a peptide) is compared with the theoretical mass calculated from the molecular formula.
- Sample
- A diluted portion of the vial contents, often taken from the HPLC eluate (LC-MS).
- Result reported as
- Observed versus theoretical mass, and a match or no-match against the named compound.
- Limits
- A mass match confirms the molecule has the expected mass. Two compounds with the same formula, or a sequence with two residues swapped, can share a mass; sequence-level confirmation needs fragmentation (MS/MS).
- Standards
- USP General Chapter <736> Mass Spectrometry
- On our reports
- 0 of 23 None of our published reports include a mass-spectrometry identity result.