PerkinElmer Solutions for Cannabis Testing

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ANALYSIS FROM SEEDTO FINALPRODUCT

Table of ContentsPotency Testing From CBD to THC 4

Pesticide Testing Leveraging Stay-Clean Technology

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Mycotoxin Testing: Prevent the Spread of Contamination

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Solving Residual Solvents: Prevent End-Product Contamination

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Terpene Identification at Every Stage of Production

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Heavy Metal Testing: Ensure End-Consumer Safety

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Partner with PerkinElmerCannabis testing labs of all sizes are faced with expanding analytical challenges and diverse regulations. From method development and technology to setting up your lab and training, we have the expertise to support your growing needs.

PerkinElmer’s capabilities and solution include best-in-class service and support to get your lab up and running with ease. With a comprehensive portfolio of Cannabis testing solutions, we can enable your lab to perform accurate, rigorous cannabis analysis, ensuring specific safety and quality requirements are met.

In this reference guide, we provide an overview of testing methods and applications for the most critical Cannabis analyses. We look forward to partnering with you to build an efficient workflow for your testing and throughput needs, so you can focus on growing your business.

YOUR GUIDE TO CANNABISANALYSIS

Potency, page 4

Mycotoxins, page 7

Pesticides, page 6

Residual Solvents, page 8

Terpenes, page 9

Heavy Metal & Trace Metals, page 103

The Need for Cannabinoid Potency Testing

Naturally occurring cannabinoids, the main biologically active components of the cannabis plant, form a complex group of closely related compounds, of which 70 are known and well described. Of these, the primary focus has been on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as the primary active ingredient, due to its pharmacological and toxicological characteristics, upon which strict legal limits have been enforced. However, processing labs must also focus on Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THC-A), as it is the naturally occurring precursor to THC and is readily decarboxylated to THC via the drying and/or heating of cannabis.

THC Potency Testing

PerkinElmer's application describes a method for the chromatographic separation and quantitative monitoring of seven primary cannabinoids, including THC, THC-A, CBD and CBD-A, in cannabis flower, extracts and edibles by HPLC combined with PDA detection.This technique employs a PerkinElmer Flexar™ HPLC system, including a quaternary pump, autosampler with Peltier cooling, column heater and PDA (photodiode array) detector.

Potency Testing From CBD to THC

LC chromatogram showing separation of the 12 cannabinoids in the Level-6 standard.

FLEXAR™ LC

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Cannabidivarin (CBDV)

Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)

Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGA)

Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol (d8-THC)

Cannabidivarinic Acid (CBDVA)

Cannabigerol (CBG)

Cannabinol (CBN)

Cannabichromene (CBC)

Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA)

Cannabidiol (CBD)

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (d9-THC)

Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid (THC-A)

Chemicals Most Frequently Analyzed for Potency

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TIC for 70 pesticides spiked at 100 ppb level in Cannabis using Qsight LCMSMS System with ESI source.

TIC for 2 chlorinated organic pesticides spiked at 100 ppb level in Cannabis using Qsight LCMSMS System with APCI Source.

One week long term stability data for diazinon in cannabis extract with no internal standard.

The Need for Pesticide Testing

The demand for clean and safe cannabis has grown significantly. Like many other agricultural products, pesticides, antifungals, as well as plant growth regulators have been applied to cannabis to increase yields and reduce attacks from insects and mold. Many of these chemicals may have harmful effects on humans. In addition, highly complex mixtures of compounds can be generated from smoking, many of which interact with the chemicals such as pesticides present in the initial product to form more toxic materials.

LC/MS/MS is the Technology of Choice

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) has become the method of choice for pesticide analysis due to its high selectivity and sensitivity as well as its suitability for a wide range of compounds in different sample matrices.

Although gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been used for pesticide analysis in cannabis samples, the QSight has the capabilities of analyzing traditionally GC amenable compounds due to its superior ESI and APCI dual probe capabilities. Both the Oregon and California required pesticide lists are able to be analyzed on the QSight LC/MS/MS.

Pesticide Testing An End-to-End Solution for Regulatory Analysis

QSight® Pesticide Analyzer

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STAYCLEAN SOURCESelf-cleaning for maximum throughput

DUAL SOURCECapabilities of two MS systems in one

LAMINAR FLOW ION GUIDEHighly efficient, field-free transmission

OPTIMIZEDTECHNOLOGY

Mycotoxins Testing

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain types of mold. These molecules are highly toxic to all animal organisms, which have harmful effects even at very low doses. Contamination can occur in the field, but also during the subsequent phases of transportation, storage, processing, or when the environmental conditions of temperature and humidity are right to develop fungal spores naturally present in the environment. The classes of mycotoxins frequently found in food stuffs like cannabis are: aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes and zearalenone.

UHPLC with MS Detector

The use of a universal detector such as the MS/MS detector allows the development of a single analytical method without resorting to any system of derivatization. The MS detector identifies molecules exploiting the ions generated by them when subjected to a process of ionization. This results, generally, in the determination of their molecular ions or adducts dependent on their chemical nature and the composition of the mobile phase. Each toxin is analyzed in the most appropriate ionization method: ESI + or ESI -.

QSight®

Figure 5: TICs of 1 ppb aflatoxin standard

M1G2

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Mycotoxin Testing Prevent the Spread of Contamination

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Cannabis Concentrates and Extracts may Contain Residual Solvents

Cannabinoids can be chemically extracted with a solvent to produce a cannabinoid rich product (i.e. hash or honey oils, waxes and shatter). Extracted concentrates of cannabis are formulated into edibles, vapor inhalants, topical creams, trans-dermal patches and other products. For safety purposes, solvent must be removed from the final product before consumption.

Residual solvents are measured by headspace with gas chromotography and mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS). Without specific methods of regulation from the individual states, procedures follow the ICH guidelines (International Council of Harmonization) for residual solvents in botanical preparations.

Testing Process

Cannabinoid extraction takes place in any of several solvent types such as carbon dioxide, butane, propane and ethanol. States have added additional solvents that may be used in the process such as hexanes, isopropanol and acetone as well as possible banned chemicals for production, such as benzene toluene and methanol. Typically 20 mg of the “extract” is placed in a headspace vial and analyzed.

Since the GC/MS instrumentation and GC column are identical to the ones used for the Terpene analysis, both of these analyses can be run at the same time.

A typical residual solvent chromatogram.

Clarus® GC/MS with TurboMatrix™ Headspace

Solving Residual SolventsPrevent End-Product Contamination

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Terpenes in Cannabis

Terpenes are found in the oils of the plant and are often responsible for the flavors and fragrances, as well as being the predominant contributor to the aroma of cannabis. Growers, processors and producers are interested in terpene analysis to differentiate themselves in this ever growing market as well as associating their product with potential medicinal benefits associated with terpenes.

Terpene Analysis

Terpenes analysis is run on a Headspace and GC/MS. With GC/MS you get identification as well as better separation analysis due to unique qualifier ions and NIST library searching. Sample prep is quite simple, just place a portion of your sample in a headspace vial and analyze. Because Cannabinoids are much higher in molecular weight, they remain behind in the HS vial and do not contaminate the GC system of column.

Terpenes can be used for strain identification. Terpenes vary by batches from the same seed source.

Terpenes have been associated with medicincal benefits. Terpenes can be tested in end products.

A typical terpene chromatogram.

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Terpene IdentificationAt Every Stage of Production

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Trace Heavy Metals can be Harmful

Toxic elements can be absorbed into cannabis plants primarily through uptake from the soil, water, and fertilizer. Concentrations are comparatively trace -- in the parts per billion or parts per trillion -- but can still be harmful to end-consumers. Therefore, it is important to measure both the nutritional and toxic elemental content of plants and plant materials.

Several challenges arise in the elemental analysis of plants. First, because both toxic and nutritional elements must be measured, a wide dynamic range is required. Plants are complex biological entities which require sample preparation, usually consisting of homogenization followed by digestion in order to break down the complex matrix and extract the elements. Despite these steps, matrix-induced spectral interferences still persist which could cause false readings, especially for the toxic elements. Therefore, Collision or Reaction Cell technology has to be used to remove the interferences.

Microwave Digestion and ICP-MS makes Sampling Easy and Efficient

The NexION ICP-MS combined with a Titan MPS microwave system can effectively analyze cannabis for both nutritional and toxic elements. Analyses are accomplished in both Collision and Standard modes and require only 100 seconds per sample.

Heavy Metal TestingEnsure End-Consumer Safety

Titan MPS™ Microwave Sample Preparation SystemNexION® 2000 ICP-MS

Commonly Tested Heavy Metals

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Your Path to Lab Efficieny Starts Here

With our OneSource® organization, you’re benefiting from multivendor service and support from the absolute best in the business. That means thousands of certified technicians in the field, who are familiar with all the techniques you employ. More than 400,000 multivendor assets under our care. And operations in more than 120 countries across the globe.

Analytic method services, asset procurement and disposition, business intelligence, qualification and validation, lab relocation, and, of course, instrument service and repair – all these services and more, plus a deep-seated knowledge of the business requirements of our customers, uniquely qualify us to help empower your science and drive your business.

Visit us online: www.perkinelmer.com/OneSource

EVERYTHING YOU NEED UNDER ONE ROOF

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