Not all lab chemicals are the same – and this is often overlooked
When I first started working in a lab, I thought choosing chemicals was simple — as long as the name matched, it should be fine.
But over time, I realized something important: the same chemical with different grades can lead to completely different results.
For example:
Analytical Grade (AR): high purity, used for analysis
HPLC Grade: strict impurity control for chromatography
Technical Grade: suitable for industrial use, not precise analysis
Using the wrong grade might not be obvious at first, but it can affect accuracy and reproducibility.
There are also a few things that are often overlooked:
Batch-specific COA
Actual purity (%)
Intended use (QC, QA, or R&D)
I came across a detailed article explaining this quite clearly, from basics to practical selection: 👉 https://labee.vn/news/hoa-chat-phan-tich-la-gi/
It’s one of those topics that seems simple but actually matters a lot in real lab work.