How Many Repetitions Do I Need? Caught Between Sound Statistics and Chromatographic Practice

In chromatographic analysis, the number of repeated measurements is often limited due to time, cost, and sample availability constraints. It is therefore not uncommon for chromatographers to do a single measurement. If measurements are repeated, it tends to be duplicates or triplicates. However, statistical principles dictate that a sufficient number of replicate measurements are necessary to ensure reliable and robust data interpretation. This article examines the required number of repetitions from a statistical perspective.