At this time the Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board requires concentration testing of the first five cannabinoids listed below. CannTest, LLC will include the additional significant cannabinoids in the profile, and add new compounds as science evolves.
At this time the Alaska’s Marijuana Control Board requires concentration testing of the first five cannabinoids listed below. CannTest, LLC will include the additional significant cannabinoids in the profile, and add new compounds as science evolves.
There are presently two methods used for potency testing of cannabinoids (THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, CBN and others). The method of Gas Chromatography (GC) requires that a cannabis sample first be ground to a fine powder. Addition of an organic solvent such as methanol followed by sonification and centrifuging is then used to extract cannabinoids from the plant material. A small amount of the sample is injected into a GC machine where it is heated up to 300 degrees Celsius thereby vaporizing the cannabinoids into a gaseous mixture. The gas is fed through a column that through its chemical makeup retains some compounds longer than others. As each cannabinoid leaves the column at a unique time a flame burns the gas and a detector determines the amount of each cannabinoid passing through the column. This is termed Flame Ionization Detection (FID).
The problem with Gas Chromatography is that much of the natural cannabinoids in cannabis exist in an acid form such as THC-A and CBD-A then decarboxylate (release carbon dioxide) to the neutral forms of THC and CBD. THC has a psychoactive effect, but THC-A does not. Typically when cannabis is smoked or vaporized THC-A transforms to THC resulting in the “high”. However research has indicated that MS patients have had a therapeutic effect with intake of unheated cannabis due to anti-inflammatory effects of THC-A. Recent lab studies have shown that a GC machine does not decarboxlyate 100% of the THC-A and CBD-A. Roughly 60-70% was the average rate.
The second method of testing of cannabinoid potency is High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). In the HPLC method a cannabis sample is ground to a fine powder and cannabinoids are extracted using a solvent, sonification and centrifuging as in GC. However in HPLC the sample passes through a column in a liquid phase and cannabinoids are detected by an untraviolet light. Because HPLC does not add heat to the system it allows for the unique determination of THC-A and CBD-A as well as THC and CBD.
CannTest, LLC will use the LC method of testing for cannabinoid potency as it it the most accurate means of determining the Total THC and CBD that will be provided on delivery. Less than 100% decarboxylation during GC means that the total amount of THC and CBD can not be known. The GC system will only measure the THC available at the detector. In addition GC can not produce a measurement of THC-A and CBD-A which will be valuable information for many medical users.
There are presently two methods used for potency testing of cannabinoids (THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, CBN and others). The method of Gas Chromatography (GC) requires that a cannabis sample first be ground to a fine powder. Addition of an organic solvent such as methanol followed by sonification and centrifuging is then used to extract cannabinoids from the plant material. A small amount of the sample is injected into a GC machine where it is heated up to 300 degrees Celsius thereby vaporizing the cannabinoids into a gaseous mixture. The gas is fed through a column that through its chemical makeup retains some compounds longer than others. As each cannabinoid leaves the column at a unique time a flame burns the gas and a detector determines the amount of each cannabinoid passing through the column. This is termed Flame Ionization Detection (FID).
The problem with Gas Chromatography is that much of the natural cannabinoids in cannabis exist in an acid form such as THC-A and CBD-A then decarboxylate (release carbon dioxide) to the neutral forms of THC and CBD. THC has a psychoactive effect, but THC-A does not. Typically when cannabis is smoked or vaporized THC-A transforms to THC resulting in the “high”. However research has indicated that MS patients have had a therapeutic effect with intake of unheated cannabis due to anti-inflammatory effects of THC-A. Recent lab studies have shown that a GC machine does not decarboxlyate 100% of the THC-A and CBD-A. Roughly 60-70% was the average rate.
The second method of testing of cannabinoid potency is High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). In the HPLC method a cannabis sample is ground to a fine powder and cannabinoids are extracted using a solvent, sonification and centrifuging as in GC. However in HPLC the sample passes through a column in a liquid phase and cannabinoids are detected by an untraviolet light. Because HPLC does not add heat to the system it allows for the unique determination of THC-A and CBD-A as well as THC and CBD.
CannTest, LLC will use the LC method of testing for cannabinoid potency as it it the most accurate means of determining the Total THC and CBD that will be provided on delivery. Less than 100% decarboxylation during GC means that the total amount of THC and CBD can not be known. The GC system will only measure the THC available at the detector. In addition GC can not produce a measurement of THC-A and CBD-A which will be valuable information for many medical users.
