Specificity vs Sensitivity vs Selectivity
Analytical Method Validation
Specificity is the ability to measure the target analyte without interference from other components (impurities, degradants, matrix), while sensitivity refers to the method’s ability to detect and accurately quantify small amounts of the analyte, often defined by the Limit of Detection (LOD) and Limit of Quantitation (LOQ); and Selectivity (often related to Specificity but broader in analytical chemistry) is a method’s ability to measure one target analyte without interference from others.
