A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is the single most important document when buying any research compound. For DCA specifically, knowing how to read one could be the difference between receiving a safe, pure product and receiving something contaminated with toxic byproducts.

The assay result tells you the purity of the compound. For DCA, you want to see ≥99.5% purity measured by HPLC — High Performance Liquid Chromatography. HPLC is the gold standard method. Be cautious of COAs that show titration as the assay method — this is far less specific and cannot detect structural impurities.

Monochloroacetate (MCA) content is the most critical test on a DCA COA — and the one most sellers skip entirely. MCA is a toxic byproduct that can appear in DCA through incomplete synthesis or degradation. A COA that does not include MCA testing is incomplete. Look for MCA ≤0.05%, ideally “None detected” by ion chromatography.

Heavy metals matter too. Your COA should include at minimum lead (Pb) and iron (Fe) results. Karl Fischer moisture content should ideally be below 1%.

Crucially — who issued the COA? A COA issued by the same company selling you the product is essentially self-certification. It means nothing without independent verification. AuraDCA sends every batch to Eurofins Vilnius for independent testing before any product ships.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. AuraDCA products are intended for research use only.