Marijuana usage has carried a negative connotation for quite some time. As attitudes shift and medical marijuana gain acceptance, this prejudice is increasingly being challenged. Laboratories are aware of this, and they are the institutions that will provide superior insight into the chemistry of cannabis.
Many procedures within the cannabis sector need to be standardized to thrive in the future. Methods, materials, and tools utilized in data preparation and analysis are all part of this.
The Purpose of Cannabis Testing Facilities
Laboratory testing services dedicated only to cannabis are known as cannabis testing labs. These items might mostly contain THC or CBD. There is a symbiotic relationship between cannabis testing labs and the industry’s supply chain.
As a result, they are crucial to the product’s compliance with regulations and to ensure that it is safe for human consumption. They must also guarantee that the information printed on the product’s final package is accurate. Patients, consumers, and the government all gain confidence in the product’s security in this way.
How and what kind of tests do cannabis testing labs offer?
Testing for potency and terpene profiles are the two most typical forms of analysis. Cannabinoid content in a cannabis sample is measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the potency test.
Common cannabinoids analysis includes THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, CBN, CBG, and CBC. Tests for terpenes are also commonly performed. Terpenes are organic compounds found in cannabis that contribute to the plant’s distinctive scents, tastes, and even hues.
Toxic chemicals and pollutants are checked for alongside the product’s strength and terpene content. Toxic metals, including:
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Lead
- Mercury
Ion-coupled plasma mass spectrometry is used to identify and quantify these metals. There is more than one reason why metals are so vitally important. Metals in the environment can be harmful if swallowed or breathed.
This is a problem since cannabis is an accumulator plant, meaning it takes in and uses everything in its growing medium. Soil, nutrients, and water are all part of its immediate surroundings.
After looking for drugs and metals, the next thing to check for is pesticides. Analytes of commonly used pesticides in the home are included on a regulated list that laboratories must check. Two separate instruments have confirmed their presence.
The first piece of equipment is an LCMS-MS or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer. The second piece of equipment is a GCMS-MS or gas chromatography-mass spectrometer. Because different pesticide analytes react differently to heat, both tools are required to ensure accurate results.
In addition, fungi are screened for the presence of harmful secondary metabolites. Molds and fungi create naturally occurring compounds called mycotoxins. Using LCMS-MS, mycotoxins may be identified and measured with precision.
Microbes, which are also tested for, are analogous to mycotoxins because not all microbial species are dangerous. Microbial DNA is amplified before being extracted and separated.
In cannabis testing at places like BelCosta Lab: terpene testing, residual solvents are the last pollutants checked for. Various types of plant matter, including (but not limited to), have been examined and shown to be free of residual solvents.
- Flower
- Pre-rolls
- Trim
- Shake
- Kief
Instead, edibles and cannabis derivatives are tested for the presence of solvents. Some examples are:
- Vapes
- Wax
- Tinctures
- Lotion
- Distillates
- Gummies
- Chocolate
Composites may be residual materials from the cannabis extraction or distillation process used in these goods. The headspace autosampler heats and presses the sample within its vial using a complete evaporation method to convert any remaining solvents in a sample into a gas.
After the vial is pierced, the leftover solvent gas is released and moves toward the mass spec detector. You can also try to navigate here to learn more about it.
To End
The procedures, tools, and criteria laboratories use to prepare samples and analyze results vary widely. This leads to a huge discrepancy between the methods used and the outcomes inherent reliability. Standard methodologies must be created and implemented in laboratory operations to verify the difference.
It is necessary to mandate that laboratories employ a verified approach. Furthermore, the industry must impose quality control measures. Method blanks, spiked laboratory samples, and matrix samples may be used for quality control during batch processing. This checks the accuracy of the equipment and assures that the analytical procedure is unaffected by any particular analytes.
