Quantitative determination of CBD and THC and their acid precursors in confiscated cannabis samples by HPLC-DAD.

Hädener, Marianne; König, Stefan; Weinmann, Wolfgang (2019). Quantitative determination of CBD and THC and their acid precursors in confiscated cannabis samples by HPLC-DAD. Forensic science international, 299, pp. 142-150. Elsevier Scientific Publ. Ireland 10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.03.046

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Analysis of cannabis has gained new importance worldwide, mainly for quality control within the legalized recreational and medical cannabis industry, but also for forensic differentiation between drug-type cannabis and legal products such as fiber hemp and CBD-rich/THC-poor cannabis. We herein present an HPLC-DAD method for quantitative analysis of major neutral and acidic cannabinoids in herbal cannabis and hashish: Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Δ-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and cannabinol (CBN). Plant material was dried, homogenized and extracted with a mixture of methanol/hexane. Chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved on a core-shell C8 column using gradient elution with water/acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid. The analytical run time was 13 min and analytes were detected at 210 nm. The method is selective, sensitive, accurate, and precise, as confirmed through validation according to ICH and AOAC guidelines. Linearity in herbal cannabis ranged from 0.04 to 4.00% for the neutral cannabinoids, and from 0.40 to 20% for the acids. Linear ranges in hashish samples were 0.13-13.33% and 1.33-66.66%, respectively. The presented method was successfully applied to characterize 110 cannabis samples seized by the Swiss police, demonstrating its applicability for routine cannabis potency testing in the forensic setting.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Service Sector > Institute of Legal Medicine > Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology

UniBE Contributor:

Hädener, Marianne, König, Stefan (A), Weinmann, Wolfgang

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0379-0738

Publisher:

Elsevier Scientific Publ. Ireland

Language:

English

Submitter:

Antoinette Angehrn

Date Deposited:

18 Jul 2019 10:07

Last Modified:

29 Mar 2023 23:36

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.forsciint.2019.03.046

PubMed ID:

31005710

Uncontrolled Keywords:

CBD Cannabinoids Cannabis HPLC-DAD analysis Potency testing THC

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.130255

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/130255

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