When it comes to the cannabis industry, laboratory testing is extremely important to the legal landscape. Most legal states require cannabis products purchased from licensed facilities to undergo a series of tests in a state accredited cannabis lab. The tests ensure that the products are accurately labeled and do not contain contaminants.
Testing also allows consumers to make informed purchases, depending on the strength and composition of the product. Accurate testing is crucial for medical cannabis patients who need overall homeopathic and specific therapeutic effects.
Most labs screen for potency and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) levels.Checking terpene profile and presence of contaminants is also standard. This can uncover herbicides, heavy metals, pesticide residual solvents and mycotoxins.
Labs use different specialized equipment to conduct these tests. The testing and accreditation required varies from state to state. New and existing lab owners need to consider specific state requirements before investing in the lab equipment.
Types of Cannabis Testing Lab Equipment
The key analytes of interest when testing cannabis include potency/cannabinoid, terpenes profile, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbial, and moisture content. However, the first step to any testing is sample preparation.
Floor Mounted “Walk-In” Fume Hood for Cannabis Extraction & Production
Floor mounted fume hoods are great for larger cannabis lab equipment, such as botanical extractors, distillation process apparatus, roll-in reactors and more. These units sit on the floor and will command more space within the lab. We have some standard sizes and models available for quick ship if your project is on a time constraint.
There are ducted and ductless floor mounted fume hood options. The benefit of a ductless hoods includes not having to retrofit or run any ductwork.
If your operation does not require a floor mounted fume hood, benchtop models are also available.
Sample preparation
All cannabis testing starts with the crucial step of sample preparation. Obtaining accurate analytical data required to ensure the safety and quality of cannabis products depends on getting an uncompromised sample.
From the soil to the plant material to the extracts to the edibles, samples needed depend on the type of testing required. Each of these requires specialized extraction and clean-up methods.
Equipment to use:
Labs require mills, grinders, homogenizer devices for raw material processing. Other necessary pieces of equipment include solvent evaporation systems (rotary and process scale), Laboratory centrifuges, and microwave digestion systems/micro digesters.
To be ready for elemental analysis, microwave digester breakdown samples such as metals or plants. Because they use closed vessels made of chemically inert materials and direct heating of sample solution, they significantly decrease digestion times. Thus, resulting in substantially higher sample throughput.
Potency/cannabinoid analysis
The cannabinoid profile of a marijuana plant dictates its overall strength, its specific medicinal properties, and overall effect.
Most states require testing the THC and CBD levels, but others may require screening for other cannabinoids like CBC, CBDA, CBG, CBN, THCA, THCV.
Equipment to use:
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography (GC) combined MS single quadrupole).
HPLC systems separate, identify, and quantify the compounds in liquid cannabis samples. In-depth analysis can determine THC, THCA, CBD, CBDA, and CBN levels. An HPLC with a diode-array detector (DAD) can analyze the composition and effects of cannabinoids and is perceived to produce more accurate results.
Ultra-high-performance LC (UHPLC) provides higher resolution, sensitivity, and speed and reduced eluent consumption. UHPLC-ESI (electrospray ionization) combined with tandem MS can test for cannabinoid levels in the urine of people exposed to high levels of marijuana.
Terpene profile testing
Volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons called terpenes give the aroma and flavor diversity to cannabis.
The unique composition of terpenes gives the cannabis plant its signature fragrance. Terpenes also influence the strain experience regarding the therapeutic effects and medicinal properties. Knowing the terpene profiles is key in establishing the right cannabis treatment plan for patients.
These tests aren’t necessary for compliance but to help producers understand the strains they are cultivating. Regularly reproducing the same terpene profile is the key to product consistency.
Equipment to use:
Because of their volatile nature, GC/MS with headspace autosampler instruments are well-suited for terpenes profile testing. Also, HPLC, or GC/FID (gas chromatography/flame ionization detection.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common technique for strain analysis. Thermal cyclers, gradient PCR machines, PCR workstations and cabinets, and qPCR machines are the tech variations available to support PCR testing.
Pesticides analysis
Pesticides, fungicides, or plant growth regulators are used by commercial cannabis growers to kill rodents and plant plant growth. Chemicals are also harmful to humans, so proving their absence is crucial. The number of pesticides to test for varies from state to state. For example, California requires the testing of 66 pesticides. Oregon 59, and Colorado 13.
Equipment to use:
The majority of pesticide tests use the LC-MS/MS method, but pesticides that do not ionize well in an LC-MS system necessitate a GCMS device. Consider GCMS kits that use a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer to extend your lab’s capabilities.
Residual solvent analysis
High concentration oils and waxes require the use of solvents, such as butane, ethanol, xylene, propane, and hexane. Cannabinoids and terpene extraction from the cannabis plant are required in this case.
Since the solvents are not safe for human use, it is often necessary to verify the elimination of all traces of the solvents.
Equipment to use:
LC-MS or GC-MS (MS with triple quadrupole) equipment offers ultra-low detection capabilities. Also, GC/FID and a headspace autosampler.
Heavy metals
Different types of metals can be found in the soils and nutrients in which the cannabis plants grow. This includes mercury, lead, copper, tungsten, arsenic and cadmium. The plants absorb these and transport them via harvesting and processing. Lab tests are performed to determine that samples meet the allowable concentration limits.
Equipment to use:
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) equipment uses different masses of each element to determine the elements present in the sample and their concentration levels. Other essential instruments include ICP/OES and AAS. The LC is effective for arsenic testing.
Microbial analysis
Mycotoxins such as fungi, mold, and mildew in cannabis can be fatal if people with compromised immunity systems ingest them.
Microbial contamination is a risk during cultivation. It can also be caused by poor hygiene practices during the handling and packaging of the product.
Equipment to use:
LCMS for qualifying and identifying strains of mycotoxins. The number of microorganisms present in the test is determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).
Real-time PCR detection systems detect distinct bacterial strains and toxins as well as traditional microbiology techniques such as Petri film analysis.
Moisture content testing
In California and several other states, there is a test to measure the moisture content of cannabis products.
It is important to store dried cannabis at or below 12% moisture. Storing cannabis at high moisture will increase the chance of mold developing.
Equipment to use:
Use of thermogravimetric method with moisture balance instruments. Moisture analyzers can also measure water content
Cannabis testing equipment
Summary of pieces of equipment used in cannabis testing:
| Analysis | Equipment needed |
| Sample preparation | Laboratory mills, grinders, homogenizer devices, solvent evaporation systems (rotary and process scale), Laboratory centrifuges, microwave digestion systems/micro digesters, freeze dryers |
| Potency/Cannabinoid Analysis | Cannabis analyzer instruments; HPLC, UHPLC, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and GC-MS systems |
| Terpene Profile Testing | GCMS with headspace autosampler |
| Residual Solvent | GC or GC-MS systems with headspace autosampler and an FID |
| Pesticides & Herbicides | LC/GC coupled to MS/Electron Capture Dissociation systems |
| Heavy metals | ICP-MS or Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Systems (AASS) |
| Moisture analysis | Moisture Balances and Analyzers |
| Microbes, Fungus, and Mycotoxin Testing | Incubators, qPCR systems, MALDI-MS systems |
FAQ
An average of about 3-10 days. Cannabinoid profiles, terpenes profiles, mycotoxins, and residual solvent testing take a shorter time, 2 – 5 days. Pesticide testing may take 7 – 10 days.
There are several possible ways to deal with the problem if you have to re-test because of a failure. It all depends on what caused the failure and which product you have to test. For example, if the problem was caused by a ‘dirty’ sample, you will have to clean it up before testing again.
Cannabis laws are rapidly changing in the United States as states. Legalizing cannabis for medicinal use as well as the expansion of marijuana decriminalization have created a boom for cannabis labs. Review local laws if interested in starting a cannabis testing lab.
Conclusion
Cannabis lab testing helps ensure the safety and efficacy of products for consumption and meet state requirements. Analytical testing ensures that they receive accurately labeled products that are contaminate-free. Contact GFI to learn more about equipment or to obtain a quote.
