Discover Food Safety and Quality

Digestion, Testing, and Validation of Heavy Metals in Cannabis

Owing to the toxicity of heavy metals, it is increasingly important to test cannabis flowers and other cannabis derivatives so that patient and consumer safety is maintained as the use of cannabis becomes more common. This need has translated into an increasing demand for testing cannabis flowers and other cannabis derivatives for toxins such as the heavy metals cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). In this application note, we present data to illustrate the successful validation of the Titan MPS™ Microwave Sample Preparation System and the NexION® ICP-MS for the determination of heavy metals in cannabis flower according to the validation protocols set in USP General Chapter <233>, which are commonly used for evaluation of the levels of elemental impurities in samples.

Analysis of Pesticide Residues in Cannabis Regulated by Oregon State Using LC/MS/MS

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) has become the method of choice for pesticide. The state of Oregon has issued regulatory limits for 59 pesticide residues in both cannabis flower and concentrates, while other states have come up with their own lists of pesticide residues relating to medical marijuana and cannabis testing.

Novel ESI and APCI LC/MS/MS Method for Testing Cannabis and Hemp Concentrate Samples

The use of cannabis concentrates and CBD products (edibles, topicals, vape products, etc.) has increased in popularity as new regulation has been passed legalizing medicinal and recreational use in a number of states and provinces. Testing to ensure that pesticide and mycotoxin levels in cannabis products are below regulatory levels is critical, however, the cannabis concentrate matrix presents many analytical challenges including higher sample matrix effects and an increased concentration of cannabinoids in the sample. In this application note, an LC/MS/MS method for the analysis of 66 pesticides (including hydrophobic and chlorinated pesticides typically analyzed by GC/MS/MS) and five mycotoxins in a cannabis concentrate matrix is presented. Utilizing a QSight® 420 LC/MS/MS instrument with dual APCI and ESI sources, the analysis yielded excellent recoveries and detection limits below those specified by the state of California cannabis regulations.

Meeting Canadian Cannabis Pesticide Residues Regulatory Requirements by LC/MS/MS

Following the 2018 legalization of recreational cannabis usage in Canada, the quality and safety of cannabis products has garnered significant attention. Health Canada has developed a regulatory program mandating pesticide testing on all cannabis products. Under the program, licensed producers (LPs) of cannabis products in Canada are required to send representative samples of products to independent laboratories for pesticide screening and quantification. In this application note, a robust and reliable method for the analysis of 96 pesticides in cannabis flower by LC/MS/MS utilizing both ESI and APCI modes is presented. The method not only offers ultra-low detection limits at or below the Health Canada regulatory levels, but also offers significant efficiency gains over other available methodologies. Utilizing LC/MS/MS with both ESI and APCI modes obviates the need to perform both GC/MS/MS and LC/MS/MS analyses to analyze all 96 regulated pesticides, saving significant time and money for operators.

A Single Cannabis Method to Meet California Pesticide and Mycotoxin Residues Regulatory Requirements

Testing for the levels of pesticide and mycotoxins in cannabis is important to ensure consumer safety and quality control. In this work, the PerkinElmer application development team analyzed all 66 pesticides (including very hydrophobic and chlorinated pesticides typically analyzed by GC-MS/MS) and five mycotoxins spiked in cannabis flower extracts well below the action limits specified by the state of California. A LC-MS/MS instrument was used with ESI and APCI sources and a simple solvent extraction method with excellent recoveries for all analytes in acceptable range of 70-120%.

Efficient LC/MS/MS Method for Testing Hemp Samples for Pesticide Residues

Agricultural growing of hemp products for the purposes of cannabidiol (CBD) extraction was legalized in the United States with the passing of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. Since the act passed, heightened concern over the use of pesticides in hemp production has been appreciated. However, no federal guidance is currently available in the United States to standardize analytical methods for the detection and quantification of pesticide residues in hemp products. In this application note, a robust and efficient single-run LC/MS/MS method for the determination of 66 pesticides, including hydrophobic and chlorinated pesticides typically analyzed by GC/MS/MS, is presented. Utilizing a PerkinElmer QSight® 420 UHPLC with MS/MS detector and dual ESI and APCI sources, excellent recoveries in the range of 70-120% were achieved. The application note also outlines participation in an Emerald Scientific blind proficiency test, with acceptable results for all 66 pesticides.

Analysis of Residual Solvents in Cannabis Concentrates

Solvent such as supercritical CO2, butane, propane, other hydrocarbons, water, or alcohol are used to extract out the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant material. In some cases, the solvent and impurities from the solvent remain in the extracted material. This study will shows the analysis of residual solvents using pressure-balanced headspace (HS) sample introduction coupled with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Unambiguous separation of all compounds is obtained while maximizing sample throughput.