limit of quantitation (quantitative detection limit; limit of determination)

(LOD) The smallest detectable concentration an analytical instrument can determine at a given confidence level. IUPAC defines the quantitative detection limit as Cld = ks/m, where k is 10, s is the standard deviation of instrument readings taken on a "blank" (a solution with zero concentration of analyte), and m is the slope of a plot of instrument response vs. concentration, as calculated by linear regression.