# Quantifying a racemic mixture by combining signal-to-noise measurements [closed]

I'm working with chromatographic data for the measurement of a chemical that takes two separable forms in equal proportions (a racemic mixture). This produces two adjacent signals (peaks) which are nearly identical, notwithstanding some minor analytical measurement variation. I need to make a judgement call on whether the compound is "detected" or not across many hundreds of samples, so I'm looking specifically at the signal-to-noise ($s/n$) ratios of each peak (using the root-mean-square measurement of baseline noise). I'm using $s/n = 3$ as a threshold for detection (LOD), but some peak pairs close to the threshold of detection will have one peak with s/n barely above and the other barely below.

How can I most appropriately combine these two largely-redundant measurements? Can I average the two s/n measurements for one single easy-to-interpret value?

## closed as too broad by Zhe, Jannis Andreska, bon, Todd Minehardt, M.A.R.Jan 28 '17 at 18:21

Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. Avoid asking multiple distinct questions at once. See the How to Ask page for help clarifying this question. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• Welcome to Chemistry! Take the tour to get familiar with this site. Mathematical expressions and equations can be formatted using LaTeX syntax. If you receive useful answers, consider accepting one. – pentavalentcarbon Jan 28 '17 at 15:23
• Yes you can combine the two with the assumption that it is a racemic mixture. How you'd do this is a matter of speculation. I have no idea how you're processing the data. – MaxW Jan 28 '17 at 17:54