Reference standards by analytical method
Analytical laboratories usually start from the method, not from the catalogue: the method fixes what the standard has to be. These pages set out what each technique asks of a reference standard, and which of the standard types we hold are used with it.
LC-MS/MS
Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometryGC-MS and GC-MS/MS
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometryHPLC and UHPLC
High-performance liquid chromatography with UV, DAD, CAD or ELSD detectionqNMR
Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonanceICP-MS and ICP-OES
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and optical emission spectrometry
Choosing between them
| Method | Typical analytes | What the standard must state |
|---|---|---|
| LC-MS/MS | Impurities, metabolites, nitrosamines, labelled internal standards | Assigned content per lot; isotopic enrichment for labelled standards |
| GC-MS / GC-MS/MS | Volatile nitrosamines, residual solvents | Identity and assigned content; storage and shipping conditions |
| HPLC / UHPLC | Pharmacopoeial and non-compendial impurities | Identity evidence, assigned content, chromatographic purity |
| qNMR | Value assignment of the standard itself | Resolved, assignable signals; a calibrant of known purity |
| ICP-MS / ICP-OES | Elemental impurities (ICH Q3D) | Concentration and the basis on which it was established |
These pages describe the analytical requirement, not a claim that a given lot is suitable for a given method — suitability is established in your own method validation, against the certificate issued for the lot you receive.
Looking for a compound instead? Start from the drug substance or the type of standard.