Waters Standards & Reagents for LC/MS, HPLC & GC

When your results must be comparable day after day, you start with dependable materials. Waters Standards & Reagents provide the reference points your methods rely on—system suitability mixes, calibration standards and QC materials, LC/MS-grade solvents and additives, and certified reference materials for regulated programs. You get traceable documentation, lot-to-lot consistency, and formats suited to UPLC/HPLC/LC-MS, GC, and SFC workflows.

What Are Waters Standards & Reagents?

These are the components that make analytical results verifiable rather than approximate. By supplying known composition and performance data, they let you benchmark instruments, build calibration curves, validate methods, and control background—so numbers are defensible in audits and transferable between sites.

Waters provides several families: system suitability standards to check peak shape, resolution, and sensitivity; calibration and quality control standards to construct curves and monitor accuracy; LC/MS-grade solvents and additives to minimize background and improve ionization; and certified reference materials (CRMs) and proficiency testing (PT) from ERA (a Waters company) to support accreditation programs.

Product Categories: Calibration Standards, LC/MS-Grade Solvents, Additives & CRMs

To help you scan quickly, the portfolio below is organized by how you use it. Start with the routine checks, then choose materials for quantitation, and finish with the solvents/additives and reference materials that keep backgrounds low and traceability clear.

System Suitability Standards (SST/QCRM): Multi-component mixes designed to prove chromatographic and MS readiness before critical runs (for example, LCMS QCRM 186006963). Use to confirm response, retention, and resolution across common methods.

Calibration & QC Standards: Application-oriented mixes and digestion standards (e.g., MassPREP Enolase 186002325; MassPREP ADH 186002328) for curve building and routine control.

LC/MS-Grade Solvents & Additives: Kits of acetonitrile, methanol, isopropanol, and water, plus formic acid and other modifiers, packaged for low background and consistent ionization (e.g., 186008715, 186009188, 186009203, 186006691).

Protein & Biologics Standards: Materials such as the Intact mAb Mass Check Standard (186006552) to optimize and verify MS for large molecules.

CRMs & Proficiency Testing (ERA): ISO/NELAC-accredited CRMs and PT samples for environmental and process water programs, with COAs and schedules for compliance.

How to Choose for Your Method (UPLC/HPLC/LC-MS/GC/SFC)

Selection is easiest when you align technique, matrix, and regulatory context. Start from the analyte class and sensitivity target, then match the standard type, solvent grade, and documentation you’ll need for QA review or accreditation.

Decision guide (quick reference):

Quality, Traceability & Documentation (COA, SDS, IFU)

Audit-ready labs document what went into every result. For each product, confirm that the lot-specific COA and SDS are accessible, and retain any use instructions (IFU) with your method records to support reviews and transfers.

• Lot control & COAs: Waters product pages provide lot-specific COAs; ERA offers a COA request portal for all CRMs. Save COAs with batch records and instrument logs. 
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• SDS & IFU: Download directly from the product page or documentation center and attach to the method file for QA sign-off.
  
• Traceability: ERA CRMs/PT are covered by globally recognized accreditations (ISO 17034/17025 and NELAC), helping satisfy internal and regulatory requirements.

Storage, Handling & Safety for Standards, Solvents & Additives

Performance depends on how you treat the materials. Check each product’s COA for temperature, light sensitivity, and shelf life after opening, and align your SOPs with the most restrictive requirement to preserve stability.

For example, LCMS QCRM ships at ambient temperature but should be refrigerated at 4 °C for short-term storage and frozen for longer-term stability. Many protein or peptide standards (e.g., MassPREP digestion standards) are supplied lyophilized; once reconstituted, follow the COA for in-use life and freeze aliquots to avoid repeat freeze–thaw cycles. LC/MS-grade solvents and formic acid are flammable—store in approved cabinets and handle in a fume hood as appropriate.

Checklist (quick scan): keep unopened kits in original amber bottles; label reconstitution solvent and date; aliquot when possible; protect from light; segregate acids and organics; record lot numbers in LIMS and on instrument suitability logs.

Applications & Use Cases: Pharma QC, Environmental, Food, Clinical LC-MS/MS

Whether you’re qualifying a new method or maintaining a validated one, these materials plug into everyday workflows. The examples below outline typical fits so you can connect categories to outcomes without repeating previous content.

• Pharma QC & Method Transfer: Use LCMS QCRM or technique-specific QCRMs to confirm chromatographic and MS performance at installation and before batches. For peptide/protein assays, add digestion or intact mass standards to optimize sensitivity and charge state distribution prior to sample runs.
  
• Environmental & Process Water: Pair ERA PT samples with matching CRMs for TOC, conductivity, and ions to verify accuracy while maintaining accreditation. COAs and study schedules simplify documentation.
  
• Food & Beverage Authenticity & Safety: LC/MS-grade solvents and appropriate standards support multi-residue methods and non-targeted fingerprinting where background control and reproducibility are essential.
  
• Clinical LC-MS/MS (RUO/IVD as applicable): Use application-specific kits and system suitability mixes to reduce troubleshooting time and keep quantitation robust; confirm regulatory status on the product page before use.

Featured SKUs & Specs (Waters Part Numbers & Compatibility)

If you already know what you need, start here. The table summarizes key identifiers and compatible techniques so you can compare quickly and jump to product pages for full specifications and lot-specific documents.

FAQ: LC/MS-Grade Solvents, Calibration vs QC, Documents & Stability

These concise answers address the most common points of friction when adopting or standardizing on this portfolio. Use them to speed internal reviews and reduce back-and-forth with QA.

1. What’s the difference between a calibration standard and a QC material?

Calibration standards establish the curve you quantify against; QC materials are separate checkpoints used to verify accuracy and precision across runs or lots. Use both to detect drift early.

2. How do I access COAs and SDS?

Use the Download COA link on Waters product pages and the COA portal for ERA CRMs; store PDFs with your method records.

3. Which solvent grade should I choose for LC-MS?

Use LC/MS-grade organics and ultra-pure water to reduce ionizable impurities and noise; lower grades risk background and adducts that hurt sensitivity.

4. How long are standards stable after opening or reconstitution?

Follow the product COA/IFU. For instance, LCMS QCRM is refrigerated short-term and frozen for long-term storage; many digestion standards recommend aliquots to avoid multiple freeze–thaw cycles.

Request a Quote and Rely on Proven Industry Reputation

If you want a pre-screened shortlist or need documents checked before purchase, we’ll do it for you. Tell us your technique, matrix, and target analytes; we’ll confirm availability, include COA/SDS links, and provide a quote that aligns with your workflow and compliance needs.

Request a Quote — Share your method context (UPLC/HPLC/LC-MS/GC/SFC), expected concentration range, and any storage or shipping constraints (e.g., cold-chain or flammable). We’ll return options that minimize troubleshooting and keep results consistent lab-to-lab.