CANNABIS TESTING LC/GC/SFC/SPE/QuEChERS

Significance of Cannabis Testing

Cannabis products require comprehensive analytical testing to ensure consumer safety, regulatory compliance and consistent product quality. Accurate measurement of cannabinoids, pesticides, mycotoxins, residual solvents and terpenes is essential for potency labeling, contaminant screening and process control. Advanced separation and sample-preparation techniques minimize matrix interferences and improve laboratory efficiency.

Study Objectives and Overview

This guide presents a portfolio of analytical options tailored for cannabis testing laboratories. It aims to:

• Outline sample-preparation workflows including QuEChERS and SPE methods.
• Compare chromatographic platforms: GC-FID, GC-MS, HPLC/UHPLC, SFC and LC-MS/MS.
• Demonstrate separations for potency, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, terpenes and residual solvents.
• Highlight column technologies and accessories designed for high throughput and ruggedness.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Sample Preparation

• QuEChERS extraction: salt packets for AOAC, EN and original methods facilitate rapid cleanup of flower, oils and edible matrices.
• dSPE cleanup: pre-weighed sorbent combinations (MgSO4, PSA, C18, GCB) in 2 mL or 15 mL tubes remove pigments, lipids and co-extractives.
• Polymeric SPE: Strata-X family supports targeted cleanup of acidic, neutral and basic analytes.

Chromatographic and Detection Platforms

• GC-FID and GC-MS: Zebron ZB-MultiResidue, ZB-5PLUS and ZB-624PLUS columns deliver screening of 112 pesticides, 33 terpenes and 20 residual solvents.
• HPLC/UHPLC: Core-shell and sub-2 µm columns (Kinetex, Luna Omega, Biphenyl, Polar C18, F5) achieve fast separations of cannabinoids and pesticide panels.
• SFC: Lux chiral columns (Cellulose, Amylose) resolve cannabinoid isomers and enantiomers for preparative or analytical workflows.
• LC-MS/MS: Kinetex Biphenyl and Biphenyl–MS columns coupled to QTRAP® 6500+ enable quantification of 10–12 cannabinoids, 65 pesticides and four aflatoxins.

Main Results and Discussion

Potency analysis using methanol or acetonitrile gradients on Core-shell C18 and Polar C18 columns separated up to 12 cannabinoids in under 10 minutes with baseline resolution. UHPLC methods on 1.6–1.7 µm columns reduced run times to <15 minutes for ten analytes. GC-FID terpene panels provided quantitation of 33 monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes with final oven temperatures above 300 °C. Pesticide screens captured 112 GC-amenable compounds on MultiResidue-1 columns. LC-MS/MS methods achieved low-ppb detection for multi-class pesticides in California and Oregon lists. Mycotoxin assays quantified aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 by LC-MS/MS on biphenyl phases.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• High selectivity and peak capacity from core-shell and sub-2 µm particles for faster throughput.
• Modular sample prep kits standardized across protocols for AOAC and EN methods.
• Guard column and inline filter solutions protect analytical columns and detectors from particulate and chemical fouling.
• Chiral SFC supports both analytical screening and scale-up purification of individual cannabinoids.

Used Instrumentation

• SCIEX QTRAP® 6500+ triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with ESI and APCI sources.
• Agilent, Thermo or Shimadzu GC systems equipped with FID or MSD detectors.
• UHPLC systems capable of 1000+ bar for sub-2 µm column operation and rapid gradient cycles.
• Preparative SFC platforms (Jasco CO2 pump, co-solvent delivery, backpressure regulators) for chiral separations.

Future Trends and Potential Uses

Emerging directions include integration of high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry for untargeted screening, automation of QuEChERS and SPE in 96-well formats, online SPE-LC coupling and real-time process monitoring. Chiral SFC methods may expand into novel cannabinoid stereoisomer discovery. Enhanced standardization of proficiency testing across states will drive method harmonization.

Conclusion

Cannabis testing demands a multifaceted analytical approach combining advanced sample prep, versatile chromatographic phases and sensitive detectors. The presented toolkit from QuEChERS kits to core-shell and chiral columns, coupled with GC, LC and MS platforms, offers laboratories robust, high-throughput solutions for potency, contaminant and impurity profiling.

References

All application protocols and performance data referenced by Phenomenex Application IDs (e.g., App ID 24346, 16184, 24864) are available at www.phenomenex.com/Cannabis.