Paul Winkler

Top 5 Analytical Challenges for Pesticides in Cannabis

Aug 27, 2019 | Blogs, Food / Beverage | 0 comments

Now that cannabis is legalized in a majority of the United States and Canada, new regulations to help protect consumers lead us to an important question: What are they getting? Here, we’ll help provide the answer.

Image source: Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

Some of the main goals behind cannabis regulation are to ensure that consumers know what’s in their cannabis and that the products aren’t contaminated with things like harmful pesticides. One evaluation of the most readily available CBD products in the US (from online retailers) showed only 31% were accurately labeled for CBD concentration. The study highlighted the need for manufacturing and testing standards and general oversight of cannabis products.

State testing regulations for pesticides in cannabis products are inconsistent. For example, California implemented mandatory testing shortly after legalization in early 2018, but Washington has prohibited the use of certain pesticides and doesn’t require any testing. There are all sorts of reasons why cannabis can become contaminated with pesticides, but the only way to know for sure is to test. In California, 3,373 batches of cannabis products failed safety testing between July 1 and November 30, 2018. Of those failures, 700 rejections were because of pesticides.

While the enforcement of mandatory pesticide testing remains a challenge for some, there are also analytical challenges that cannabis testing labs need to overcome.

Cannabis Analysis That’s Up to the Challenge
When it comes to making your lab operations more efficient and productive, you need a high-performance instrument that’s tough enough to handle routine cannabis testing and to meet the needs of ongoing regulatory changes. You need an LC-MS/MS solution that can stand up to these common testing challenges:

A “dirty” matrix
Measuring trace-level contaminants
Method development
Application support
Training

SCIEX offers world-class solutions designed to simplify your workflows and get you operational as quickly as possible. Explore the incredibly sensitive SCIEX Triple Quad™ 6500+ or QTRAP® 6500+ system featuring advanced SCIEX technology, combined with our vMethod™ and our expert application support and training.

Download the Top 5 Pesticides Challenges in Cannabis to find out how SCIEX can make your laboratory operations easier and more productive.

Overcoming uncertainty in your PFAS analysis

Just like gum on the bottom of a shoe, the existence of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in our environment is a sticky one. If you’re in the field of environmental testing, then you’re all too familiar with the threat these substances have on public health. While we have learned a lot about them over the years, there is still much more to understand. With the right detection methods, we can gather the information we need to empower us to make informed decisions on reducing the risks they impose.

6 Signs it’s time for a new vendor

A lab’s success depends on many factors from instrument quality to efficient operations, including being partnered with the right vendor. A vendor is more than just a supplier. They should provide you with a high-level quality of support in maximizing the lifespan and performance of your systems, reducing downtime, enhancing ROI and more. How do you know if you’re partnered with the right one? Here are six signs it might be time to find someone new.

Plasmid manufacturing: Setting up your CGT programs for success

Plasmid DNA serves a variety of purposes, from critical starting material for proteins, mRNA, viral vectors, and drug substances. Below, Dr. Emma Bjorgum, the Vice President of Client Services of the DNA Business Unit at Aldevron and an expert in plasmid manufacturing, provided insights into the process and an outlook on the future.

Posted by

Paul Winkler

I play an active role in supporting cannabis (marijuana and hemp) applications at SCIEX. I have more than 30 years of experience owning and operating contract labs in the environmental and bioanalytical markets. I've been part of the SCIEX family since 2011. I started as a field application chemist, and today I'm a market development manager for the North America team. Helping customers like you with your analytical challenges and educating the market on the many possibilities of LC-MS/MS systems, is my passion.

0 Comments