Cannabis
Chemistry Based Links
Keynote: The Chemistry Behind Cannabinoid Acids
- Professor Raphael Mechoulam
- Hebrew University
- Center on Cannabinoid Research
- 56 min
- Oct 9, 2019
- July 17, 2017
- 3 min
Emerald/Perkin Elmer Webinar
News Links
Lake Superior State University - News Story
- Link to Program
- Nov 2019
Cannabis Research
Importance of Testing Cannabis
- Hemp vs. Marijuana
- If the concentration of the cannabis material is over 0.3 WT% it is considered marijuana. If the concentration of the cabbages material is under 0.3 WT% it is considered hemp.
- Marijuana is used for medicinal uses such as a pain reliever for cancer patiences. Also, many other cannabinoids are used for joint pain and other treatments.
- Hemp's primary function is for using its plant material for thread to make T-Shirts, rope, textiles, and many other uses.
- If the concentration of the cannabis material is over 0.3 WT% it is considered marijuana. If the concentration of the cabbages material is under 0.3 WT% it is considered hemp.
- Growing Hemp Material
- Farmers need to know the THC concentrations of their cannabis material. Therefore, the FDA will not shut them down. For example, if the THC concentration is above the 0.3 WT% they will have a whole field of marijuana and not hemp.
Method Development
- Handling of Plant Material
- Before the plant is analyzed there are many steps to insure the best data outcome. This process is important because we do not want impurities in the solution, also we want the highest concentration of the cannabinoids that are present in the plant material.
- 1) Manicure the plant
- 2) Use the grinder to grind up the sample
- 3) Empty the grinder into a glass jar
- 4) Weigh out 0.100 g / 100mg on an analytical balance
- 5) Place the 0.100 g of the sample into a falcon tube and add 5ml of Methanol (make sure all of the sample makes it into the tube)
- 6) Put the falcon tube onto the shaker (30min) for the max RPM
- 7) Use a filter syringe to filter out the liquid from the plant material. (Place filter on the syringe after the liquid is taken out of the tube)
- 8) Use the syringe to put the liquid into a HPLC testing capsule
- 9) Place the capsule into the HPLC
- 10) Run the sample with the standards of the cannabinoids that should be present with the sample
- 11) Collect the data and plot the peaks on Igor
- Before the plant is analyzed there are many steps to insure the best data outcome. This process is important because we do not want impurities in the solution, also we want the highest concentration of the cannabinoids that are present in the plant material.
Analyical Testing Links
- Nov 18, 2011
High Tech: Inside a Cannabis Testing Lab
- May 8, 2017