HPLC: separating a peptide sample
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separates sample components under a defined set of conditions. A chromatographic purity percentage commonly expresses the relative response of selected peaks. It is method-dependent and is different from the amount of peptide in a vial.
When reviewing a chromatogram, check the column, mobile phase, detection conditions, integration and peak assignment where provided. Co-elution or components not detected by the method can limit interpretation. Compare results obtained by comparable methods; avoid treating percentages from different methods as directly interchangeable.
Sources and further reading
- Hoofnagle et al. (2016): recommendations for peptide standards, quantification, storage and handling for mass spectrometry.
- Agilent: peptide standards and analytical characterisation.
- Hureau et al. (2011): X-ray and solution structures of copper complexes of GHK and DAHK, DOI: 10.1002/chem.201100751.
Editorial review: 11 October 2026. This information supports critical reading of laboratory documentation; it does not certify a product or replace method validation.