A complete pre-purchase review of a polyacrylamide order rests on three documents: the Technical Data Sheet, the Certificate of Analysis, and the Safety Data Sheet. Each document has a different issuer, covers a different scope, and gives different grounds for a purchase hold or release. Treating the three as an interchangeable bundle means you may miss the specific reason to pause. This guide maps the purpose and limits of each document, offers a document-first worksheet for the COA, a diagnostic flow for stale or mismatched files, and a structured request checklist to use at the quotation stage.
Three documents, three different jobs
The TDS, COA and SDS are often described as a document set, which is technically accurate but can be misleading. They do not duplicate one another: they cover different questions, name different issuers, and are tied to different objects — a grade, a batch, and a product-and-jurisdiction pairing. If you review only the COA, the grade identity question the TDS covers and the jurisdiction-applicability question the SDS raises both remain unanswered.
Here is how the three documents divide the question space:
| Document | What it answers | Issued by | Valid for | What it cannot answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDS (Technical Data Sheet) | Grade-level guidance. A TDS may contain specifications, typical values, physical form, packaging and handling or dissolution guidance. Record which of these are actually printed for the quoted grade | Manufacturer or the issuer named on the document; revision-controlled where a revision block is printed | The grade it names and the revision printed on it; does not reference a batch | What any individual production run or shipment lot actually measured. A TDS does not prove a lot result |
| COA (Certificate of Analysis) | Identifies a batch and reports the rows printed on it: results, and where printed, specifications, units, methods and a conclusion | The issuer named on the document, which may be a manufacturer QA department or another entity | The batch or lot it names and the dates printed on it; the link to your shipment holds only where that lot identifier also appears on your shipping documents | Grade specification ranges (TDS owns that); hazard or emergency data (SDS owns that) |
| SDS (Safety Data Sheet) | Hazard classification, safe handling, storage, first aid, emergency response and the regulatory references printed in it | The issuer named on the document; record that entity as printed | The product it names, the preparation or revision date in Section 16, and the jurisdiction it states; applicability to your destination must be checked | Grade performance specifications; batch identity; commercial terms |
Together, the three documents support three different checks. The TDS records what its issuer states for the named grade; the COA reports the identity and result fields printed for a named batch; and the SDS supplies hazard-communication and handling information for the stated product and jurisdiction. The buyer must compare the documents with the quotation and the pre-agreed purchase requirements. None of the three, by itself, proves application suitability, shipment conformity or legal permission to import, store or use the product.
Identity check: issuer, grade, form, revision, batch and quotation
Before you look at any number in any document, run an identity check. A document set can fail review for reasons that have nothing to do with the chemistry: the document may describe a different product, an earlier revision, a different legal entity, or a batch other than the one being shipped. Identity mismatches propagate forward, because a result is only evidence about the object the document names. A COA whose batch number does not match the actual shipment lot does not establish conformity of that shipment, however clean the result column looks.
Work through this checklist before examining any result:
| Identity field | Where to check | Must match | Hold if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuer legal entity | Header of all three documents | The manufacturing entity named in the quotation | Document issuer differs from the contracting supplier or manufacturing site |
| Grade or model designation | TDS header, COA product line, SDS product identity | Exact grade including all suffixes as quoted | Grade name is partial, truncated or differs between documents |
| Physical form | TDS product description, COA product line | Dry powder, emulsion or solution as ordered | Form is not stated or differs from the order |
| TDS revision date | TDS footer or revision block | Current revision supplied with the quotation | No revision date; or revision predates a known product update |
| COA batch or lot number | COA header | The actual lot that will be shipped | Batch field is blank; or COA references a different prior lot |
| Production and report dates | COA header | Consistent with the shipment; production date precedes report date | Report date precedes production date; or dates are absent |
| Quotation reference | COA order or customer reference field (where present) | Your PO or quotation number if the supplier includes it | Reference is present but points to a different order |
| SDS destination country | SDS header or jurisdiction field | Your destination country or agreed regulatory framework | SDS is for a different jurisdiction with different classification or limit rules |
Reviewing the TDS: grade specification and conditions
The Technical Data Sheet is grade-level guidance, not a shipment record. It describes the grade it names: depending on the issuer and the grade, it may print specifications, typical values, the physical form, packaging options, and handling or dissolution guidance. Two distinctions matter when you read it. A specification is a limit the material is held to; a typical value is an indication of what the grade usually looks like and is not a batch limit. And whichever it prints, a TDS does not establish what any individual production run or shipment lot actually measured — that is the COA’s object. Read a COA against the limits printed for the same grade, and where a row on one document has no counterpart on the other, record that gap rather than inferring the missing value.
Work through the fields below. For each one, the first task is to record whether the parameter is printed for the quoted grade at all, and if so, whether it appears as a specification range or as a typical value. Treat an absent row as unconfirmed, not as compliant:
- Ionic type and charge density. Record the ionic type as printed (anionic, cationic, nonionic or amphoteric). Record separately whether a quantitative charge density figure is printed for the quoted grade, and if so, its value, unit, test condition, and whether it is given as a range or as a typical value. A qualitative type with no numeric figure leaves that parameter unconfirmed for comparison; note the absence and request clarification if your application depends on a specific charge density.
- Molecular weight or viscosity. Where this is printed, a TDS may express it directly as a molecular-weight range or indirectly as a solution viscosity measured at a stated concentration, temperature and method. Record whichever form appears, the stated conditions, and whether it is a specification or a typical value. Before comparing any COA result to it, verify that the COA used the same concentration, temperature and method; results obtained under different conditions are not directly comparable.
- Residual monomer. If a residual acrylamide monomer figure is printed for the quoted grade, record the value, unit, test method and whether it is a limit or a typical value. Where your use is regulated, verify the applicable threshold for your destination and use separately: a figure printed on a TDS reflects what that issuer states for that grade, and does not by itself establish that your specific regulatory constraint is met.
- Moisture or active solids. Where a moisture or active-solids figure is printed, record the value, the unit and whether it is a maximum, a range or a typical value. This parameter affects dissolution and dose calculation. If you dose by mass, check your ordering quantity against the printed figure rather than against a nominal active content, and note that a typical value does not bound what an individual lot may contain.
- Packaging and storage conditions. Record the shelf life and the storage temperature and humidity conditions printed for the quoted grade and form. Storage wording such as “store in cool dry conditions away from direct sunlight” is a handling condition to carry into your freight and warehouse planning, not an optional suggestion. Material held outside the stated conditions before arrival may still carry a COA taken at production and yet behave differently on your incoming test, because the COA reports the batch at the time it was tested.
Row-by-row COA hold-release worksheet
A qualification mark at the top of a COA — “qualified” or “conforms” or a checkmark column — is the issuer’s conclusion about the batch. That conclusion is not itself the evidence. The evidence is each printed result row, and the way to verify the conclusion is to repeat the comparison row by row yourself.
The rule is simple: a pass mark does not override a printed result that falls outside its own printed specification on the same document. If a viscosity result sits above the stated upper limit, that printed result does not meet that printed specification, whatever the qualification column says. Hold the document and ask the issuer to reconcile it — either a corrected document, an explanation of the discrepancy, or a COA for a lot whose printed results fall within their printed limits.
Checking row by row also surfaces internal inconsistencies while the file is still open and before material is dispatched. Reviewing only the conclusion leaves any such inconsistency unexamined, and a document review completed after arrival has fewer options available to it than one completed at the quotation stage.
Use this worksheet for every COA before a purchase release:
| Parameter | What to record from COA | Cross-check with | Release condition | Hold if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular weight / viscosity (if printed for the quoted grade) | Result value, unit (mPa·s or Da), concentration and method; if not printed, record as not tested in this COA | TDS viscosity range for this grade (if printed); same concentration and method | Result within stated TDS range; method matches; or parameter not printed on either document | Result outside TDS range; method differs from TDS; unit missing where parameter is printed |
| Charge density (if printed for the quoted grade) | Result value and unit (mol% or meq/g); if not printed, record as not tested in this COA | TDS charge density specification range (if present) | Result within TDS range; unit consistent; or parameter not printed on either document | Result outside TDS range; unit cannot be converted to TDS unit |
| Residual acrylamide monomer (if printed for the quoted grade) | Result value in mg/kg or ppm; test method cited; if not printed, record as not tested in this COA | TDS limit printed for this grade; separately verify any destination-country regulatory threshold applicable to your use | Result at or below the printed TDS limit; method stated; any applicable regulatory limit verified separately | Result exceeds the printed TDS limit; method not stated where the parameter is required for your application |
| Moisture content (if printed for the quoted grade and form) | Result value in %; method or instrument; if not printed, record as not tested in this COA | TDS moisture maximum (if printed for this grade) | Result at or below the printed TDS maximum; or parameter not printed on either document | Result exceeds the printed TDS maximum; method not stated for a parameter your dose calculation depends on |
| Dissolution rate or particle size (where stated) | Result value, unit and conditions | TDS specification; your dissolution system requirements | Result meets TDS specification; conditions consistent with your process | Result outside TDS specification; conditions not stated for a parameter your process depends on |
| Overall qualification conclusion | Qualified/Pass/Conforms and authorized signatory | Every result row above: conclusion must be consistent with every row | Conclusion is consistent with all rows; authorized signatory identified | Any row outside its specification while the conclusion shows “qualified”; no signatory identified |
Record the issuer printed on each document in your file and compare those entities against the entity named in your quotation. A document naming a different entity or address is not automatically invalid. Where the entities differ, ask for the evidence chain in writing — which entity issued which document, the relationship between them, and the basis on which the testing entity’s result applies to the batch being shipped — and record that explanation in the file.
Reviewing the SDS: 16 sections and what each one tells the buyer
An SDS must be checked against the jurisdiction where it will be used. The 16-section structure follows the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, and GHS guidance states that an SDS should be prepared consistently with the hazard classification and the requirements applicable where it is used. What follows for a buyer is a checking obligation rather than a conclusion: the hazard classification, the regulatory references in Section 15 and the disposal content in Section 13 each need to be read against the framework that applies at your destination, and whether they satisfy it is a question for your regulatory affairs or EHS function. Neither the structure of the document nor the presence of a classification in it determines whether the product may be imported, stored or used at your site.
For polyacrylamide procurement, the following sections are practical purchase-decision checkpoints:
- Section 1: Identification. Confirms the product name, grade identity and supplier contact. This is the first identity check: if the product name in Section 1 does not match your order, stop and request the correct SDS before proceeding.
- Section 2: Hazard identification. States the hazard classification under the applicable GHS revision. The content of this section is product- and jurisdiction-specific; read the classification assigned to this product in this SDS rather than assuming it matches a general category. If your facility’s chemical management system requires a hazard classification code for import or storage registration, verify the code here against your national regulations and obtain qualified destination-specific advice where needed.
- Section 3: Composition. Lists the main chemical identity and any listed impurities or residuals with their CAS numbers. Record the constituents as printed; for regulated applications, confirm the listed concentrations against any specific threshold that applies in your destination jurisdiction rather than treating the SDS listing as a compliance determination.
- Section 8: Exposure controls and PPE. States occupational exposure limits and personal protective equipment recommendations as defined for the applicable jurisdiction. Use the SDS issued for your destination country; limits and controls stated for a different jurisdiction may not reflect your local requirements. Your facility’s industrial hygiene programme should confirm applicability before relying on any specific limit stated here.
- Section 15: Regulatory information. Lists the relevant national or regional regulations. An SDS prepared for one jurisdiction may list regulations that do not apply in your destination country. Request an SDS that explicitly lists your destination country’s regulations if the Section 15 list does not include them.
- Section 16: Preparation or revision date. The 16-section SDS format requires the date of preparation or the last-revision date in Section 16. An SDS with no date, or one that predates a known regulatory revision applicable to your destination jurisdiction, should prompt a request for a current version. The preparation or revision date is a straightforward document-control check that does not require the buyer to interpret a chemical test result.
The handling and emergency response content of the SDS is covered by the existing SDS handling and safety guide; this article covers the procurement review, not the operational safety procedures.
Cross-document form and model consistency
Use the following three scenarios as review checks. They do not assume how the documents were prepared or which cause applies; they identify the evidence gap the buyer should resolve.
- Grade suffix mismatch. The quotation names a product with a suffix encoding a specific form or quality level. The TDS matches. The COA uses a shortened name without the suffix. The SDS uses a generic product family name without a grade qualifier. This is a documentation inconsistency that does not by itself mean the material is wrong, but it does mean you cannot confirm the grade traceability from the documents alone. Request a COA that matches the quoted grade name exactly.
- Physical form inconsistency. The TDS covers dry powder. The COA was issued for a different physical form (an emulsion grade that shares part of the name). This is a mismatched document, not a presentation error. Return it immediately and request the COA for the grade and form that was ordered.
- Issuer chain break. The TDS is issued by the manufacturer. The COA is issued by a third-party laboratory. The SDS is issued by an entity that is not the manufacturer. Record the actual issuer of each document as printed and ask the supplier for the evidence chain when entities differ: which entity issued which document, what their relationship is, and on what basis any third-party COA test result applies to the shipment batch. Whether any issuer configuration satisfies your import or compliance requirements is a question for your regulatory or legal function, not a conclusion to draw from the document alone.
Stale-or-wrong-document diagnostic flow
When a document fails one of the identity or content checks above, do not accept a verbal explanation. Ask for a corrected document. Before requesting it, use this diagnostic flow to identify exactly which document needs replacement and why, so that your request is specific and the supplier can respond efficiently rather than sending another version of the same incorrect document.
| Symptom | Gap to clarify | Document to request | What to include in your request |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS has no revision date, or revision predates a known product or regulatory change | Was a current revision sent, or a filed copy? Has there been a product change, a method update or a regulatory revision since the date shown? | Current TDS | Grade designation; ask for the current applicable revision and, where relevant, the document-control version |
| COA batch number is absent or does not appear on the shipping documents | Was a prior-lot COA or a template reused? Was the lot identifier omitted? Does the batch number on the COA match the packing list and physical markings? | COA for the specific production lot being shipped | Your order or PO number; state that the COA must name the shipment lot and that the lot identifier must reconcile with the packing list and physical markings |
| COA result in one row is outside the TDS specification range while the conclusion shows “qualified” | Is this a transcription error, a specification version that differs between the COA and TDS, or a result that was genuinely out of range? Ask the issuer to reconcile the specific row in writing | Corrected COA with written explanation | Identify the specific parameter and row; state the conflict; ask for the corrected result or a new lot COA if the batch is genuinely non-conforming |
| SDS is dated for a different destination country and its Section 15 does not list your country’s regulations | Was the supplier’s standard file sent rather than one prepared for your destination? Confirm whether a destination-specific version exists | SDS for your destination country | State the destination country and any specific regulatory framework (REACH, OSHA HazCom 2012, Australian WHS) your facility requires |
| Grade name on COA does not include all suffixes in the quotation | Was the COA generated from a product-family template rather than the specific grade? Ask the issuer to confirm which grade the COA covers | COA naming the quoted grade exactly | Quote the full grade designation from the supplier’s own TDS header |
| TDS physical form (emulsion) does not match the order (dry powder) | Was the wrong TDS version selected? Does the supplier have multiple products under similar names with different forms? | TDS for the ordered product form | State the exact grade, form (dry powder or emulsion) and the form-identifying suffix |
Record the lot identifier printed on the actual COA, packaging and shipping documents and reconcile them. Where the lot number on the COA does not match what appears on the packing list or the physical markings, raise that discrepancy with the supplier in writing before accepting the shipment.
Request-current-documents checklist
The following checklist gives you the buyer-requested evidence to ask any polyacrylamide supplier for before confirming a purchase order. Send it at the quotation stage, not at the order stage, so that document review does not hold up delivery once production is scheduled.
| Document to request | Exact specification | Accept | Do not accept |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS | Current revision; exact grade and physical form as ordered; issued by the manufacturing entity | Current version with revision date; all specification ranges present; issuer matches manufacturer | Undated; generic product family sheet without grade specifics; TDS for a different physical form |
| COA (sample or pre-order review) | Representative lot COA for the grade and form being quoted; issued by the entity named in the quotation or a testing body with a stated lot reference | Named lot; production and report date; full parameter table with results, units, specifications and methods where printed; authorized signatory if applicable; conclusion consistent with all rows | No lot number; pass mark without results table; results table with any row outside its specification while showing “qualified” |
| COA (shipment lot) | COA for the specific production lot to be shipped | Lot number matches packing list or shipping marks; all same requirements as above | Reused prior-lot COA with different batch number; blank or template COA |
| SDS | 16-section format; destination country; Section 16 revision date within applicable regulatory renewal period | Correct jurisdiction; current revision date; Section 15 lists your country’s applicable regulations | No preparation date; issued for a different jurisdiction without explanation; Section 15 lists only regulations from other countries |
ChinaPAM can organize the applicable document set once you provide the grade designation, physical form, destination country and any regulatory approval requirements specific to your application. The request is best sent at the same time as the quotation enquiry so that the document review and the technical review run in parallel. Our certificates, business licence and published quality documentation are available on the certifications and compliance page.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a COA pass mark mean the product meets my specification?
A COA pass mark records the issuer’s conclusion against the requirements printed or referenced on that document. It does not automatically establish that the lot meets the buyer’s purchase specification. Compare the printed identity, results, limits, units, methods or conditions where present, and the buyer’s additional requirements; request clarification or supplementary evidence for any gap.
How often should I request a new TDS?
Request a current revision when the TDS has no revision date, when you know of a product change or regulatory change that may have occurred since the revision shown, or when your document-control procedure requires review. A TDS revision may reflect a formulation change, a new regulatory limit, or a method update — any of which can affect how you use the product in your process. The revision date in the footer or revision block is the fastest single check.
What should I do if the SDS I receive does not cover my country?
Contact the supplier and request an SDS prepared for your destination country’s GHS implementation and citing your applicable regulations. In the interim, do not use a foreign-jurisdiction SDS as the operative hazard document for your workplace or for regulatory submissions. If the supplier cannot provide a country-specific SDS, the importer may be required to prepare one under local law; check with your regulatory affairs or EHS team before proceeding.
Can a third-party laboratory COA substitute for a manufacturer COA?
When a COA is issued by an entity other than the manufacturer, request a written statement from the supplier confirming: which entity issued the COA, its relationship to the production batch, whether the lot number on the COA matches the shipment lot, and whether the methods used are comparable to those in the TDS specification. A third-party COA is not an automatic substitute for a manufacturer COA; its evidentiary scope depends on those documented connections.
Sources
- US Occupational Safety and Health Administration — Safety Data Sheet QuickCard. OSHA3493QuickCardSafetyDataSheet.pdf. Supports: SDS uses a 16-section format; Section 16 includes preparation or last-revision date. Limits: US workplace hazard communication reference; does not imply every destination country uses identical legal rules.
- United Nations Economic Commission for Europe — GHS Annex 4: Guidance on preparation of safety data sheets (Revision 6). UNECE GHS Rev.6 Annex 4 (PDF). Supports: SDS preparation should be consistent with hazard classification and applicable jurisdictional requirements. Limits: general GHS guidance; importing-country national requirements must be checked separately.
- ISO CASCO — Attestations of conformity. ISO CASCO attestations page. Supports: a conformity statement should identify the object, the applicable requirement, the evidence and result, the issuer, and the date; attestations are evidence snapshots, not permanent proof for unrelated batches. Limits: general conformity-assessment guidance; not a ChinaPAM certificate.