Outsource vs In-House GC-MS Testing
GC-MS is brought in-house where a limited set of volatile or residual-solvent methods runs at high volume. Unknown identification, extractables studies, regulated environmental methods and low volumes are frequently outsourced.
Often kept in-house
- Routine residual solvents or VOC screening
- Raw material identity checks
Often outsourced
- Unknown and contaminant identification
- Extractables and leachables studies
- Certified environmental compliance methods
Factors to weigh
- Testing volume and how predictable it is
- Equipment capital cost and depreciation (obtain real supplier quotations)
- Operating costs: consumables, gases, reference materials, service contracts
- Staff expertise, training and retention
- Facility requirements: space, utilities, ventilation, environmental control
- Calibration, maintenance and instrument qualification
- Method validation and quality system (e.g. ISO/IEC 17025 if accredited results are needed)
- Turnaround needed versus outside laboratory turnaround plus shipping
- Sample logistics, stability and holding times
- Expected instrument utilization
Common questions
- Is interpretation the hard part?
- Often, yes. Unknown identification relies on experienced analysts and good libraries, which is why it is commonly outsourced.
- Is there a volume where in-house pays off?
- There is no universal figure. Compare fully loaded in-house cost — equipment, staff, calibration, consumables, quality overhead — against real outside quotations for your actual annual volume.