What Equipment Does a Cannabis Testing Laboratory Use?
In any cannabis testing laboratory, two things have a major effect on the overall accuracy of test results: people and equipment. Cannabis testing labs are, of course, only as good as the expertise of analysts and the reliability of the equipment, though both are often behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.
The equipment used in cannabis testing helps analysts understand a range of information about a sample, including its chemical makeup, moisture content, and whether contaminants are present. Without these tools, analysts wouldn’t be able to determine any of these things. Read on to learn more about the tools cannabis testing labs rely on to generate reliable data on the safety and quality of cannabis products before they reach consumers.
In this blog, you will learn:
The equipment used in a cannabis testing lab
How cannabis testing equipment is used to analyze samples
Why cannabis testing and equipment are important
What types of equipment are found in a cannabis lab?
Cannabis testing labs conduct a number of tests, from gauging the potency of the product to monitoring for contaminants to ensuring that products are homogenous for consistent dosing. To do so, they rely on several pieces of equipment. These include:
HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography is a technique used in the laboratory to separate, catalog, and quantify various compounds, such as phytocannabinoids. This technique requires the use of a chromatography column, a solvent, and a pump. The pump is used to push a solvent through a solid matrix in the chromatography column. The compounds move through this matrix at different speeds, separating them from one another and pulling them out of a sample (in this case cannabis) and enabling analysts to study and enumerate each individually.
MS: Mass spectrometry relies on the fact that molecules of varying weight behave differently based on these weights. In MS, detectors take advantage of this predictable behavior and, as compounds travel through a medium (liquid in the case of LC or gas in the case of GC), they will hit a detector in predictable ways based on the differences of their masses. For instance, heavier compounds may not move as readily as lighter compounds in a gaseous phase. This enables analysts to identify even trace levels of small molecules.
GC/MS: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is a process by which small volatile and semi-volatile organic molecules are separated and quantified. Although it is similar to HPLC in that way, it relies on a gas instead of a liquid. Compounds are heated until they become a gas. Then, they are carried through the column and separate in a thin layer of solid or viscous liquid particles. These gases flow differently through the medium, hitting the mass detector at different times and allowing analysts to catalog them. GC/MS is more commonly used to test for easily volatilized compounds, which includes terpenes or contaminants like residual solvents.
LC-MS/MS: Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (the use of multiple mass spectrometers), also known as “LC triple quad,” is a process by which compounds in a sample are separated and identified, then ionized and analyzed using electromagnetic fields to achieve a greater degree of differentiation. In this way, LC-MS/MS enables the separation of a wide range of compounds, as well as the ability to quantify them with a high degree of precision. This technique is commonly used in pesticide and mycotoxin testing for cannabis samples.
GC-MS/MS: Gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry improves upon the precision of simple GC/MS, and is also known as a “GC triple quad.” A GC-MS/MS is used to detect and quantify pesticides that are unable to be detected by an LC-MS/MS alone. When combined together, GC/MS and GC-MS/MS provide for the fast screening of samples and precise validation of results.
ICP/MS: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a technique to determine the presence of heavy metals in very low concentrations. The technique involves passing samples through a plasma (heated and ionized gas). This ionizes the sample in a gaseous state and allows the elements within that sample to be identified by the mass detector with great accuracy based on the masses and charges of the elements.
Water Activity Meter: A water activity meter measures the water activity, expressed as aW, in a given cannabis sample. Knowing the water activity of a cannabis product can help producers mitigate against possible microbial or mycotoxin contamination in cannabis products. Notably, water activity and moisture content are two separate measures; these terms should not be used interchangeably.
PCR: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) thermocycler enables labs to test cannabis genetics and monitor for pathogens. This can even be done when plants are seedlings, as a PCR machine analyzes the DNA and RNA contained within an individual cannabis plant. When testing cannabis samples, PCR machines are commonly used to detect the presence of microbes.
How to determine cannabis lab equipment quality
Not all cannabis testing equipment is of the same quality. The equipment used in a cannabis testing laboratory must not only be up to date and in good condition, but it also needs to be precisely calibrated, or configured, to ensure accuracy in results.
Laboratories should maintain strict maintenance policies and procedures, which include thorough sanitation and decontamination of equipment between uses. Contamination can occur at any point in the supply chain, including in the laboratory, so it is key to keep this in mind and keep equipment clean. Additionally, all equipment should be periodically calibrated to ensure results are as precise as possible.
The best cannabis testing laboratories at a minimum adhere to standards set out in ISO/IEC 17025. Laboratories which follow rigorous management and technical requirements are eligible to receive an ISO/IEC 17025 certification, which indicates that they adhere to best practices when it comes to maintaining equipment and conducting operations in the laboratory setting.
What types of tests does cannabis lab equipment enable?
Using these tools and processes, analysts in a cannabis testing lab can perform a wide range of services to determine a cannabis product’s overall quality, including those required for state safety regulations. These testing services include:
Potency testing: To test for the potency of cannabinoids like THC and CBD, cannabis testing labs employ HPLC to identify and quantify all the cannabinoids present. This process is known as phytocannabinoid profiling, and it includes major and minor cannabinoids, such as CBG and CBN. Potency testing is required in all states with a legal cannabis program, including New Jersey.
Terpene profiling: Much like phytocannabinoid profiling, terpene profiling is performed using GC/MS and offers a complete breakdown of the aromatic and flavorful terpenes found in cannabis. Terpenes are also thought to offer therapeutic effects of their own and contribute to the entourage effect by influencing cannabinoids and the endogenous cannabinoid system. While terpene profiling is generally not required by state law, savvy consumers will often want to know which terpenes are present in their cannabis products.
Residual solvent testing: Concentrates and extracts are increasingly popular in legal cannabis markets. Unfortunately, they can sometimes contain levels of residual solvents post-extraction that are unsafe for human consumption. To guarantee consumer health and safety, most states, including New Jersey, require that concentrates and extracts undergo residual solvent testing to ensure that all harmful solvents have been removed from the final product. Residual solvent testing is performed using GC/MS.
Pesticide testing: High levels of pesticides in a cannabis product could cause harm to consumer health, which is why pesticide testing is required by states with legal cannabis programs. New Jersey completely bans the use of pesticides on cannabis products and requires testing to demonstrate there are no pesticides present before products are allowed to reach dispensary shelves. Pesticide testing is performed using both LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, depending on the pesticides a lab is looking to detect.
Microbiological screening: Cannabis is particularly susceptible to microbes like molds, mildews and fungi because it grows in warm, humid conditions. Microbes tend to also like these moist environments and can feed on the organic material of living cannabis plants. They can also seriously harm consumer health if cannabis products are contaminated with them. Microbial testing is performed using PCR and also the older but tried and true method of plating using PetriFilm.
Mycotoxin testing: Mycotoxins are dangerous byproducts of molds and fungi. Mycotoxins are commonly found on other agricultural crops; cannabis is particularly vulnerable because it grows in humid environments where microbes like fungi and mold thrive. Mycotoxin testing is performed in the lab typically using LC-MS/MS.
Heavy metal analysis: Heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can be found in soil and waterways. Cannabis plants heavily absorb compounds like these in their environment, which makes them excellent environmental remediators. Unfortunately, cannabis plants that absorb heavy metals also pose a threat to consumer health. Heavy metal testing is performed by using an ICP-MS.
Water activity measurement: Water activity tests can determine whether cannabis flower has been dried and cured properly or is at risk of microbial contamination due to elevated moisture levels. A water activity test is typically performed using a water activity meter.
Laboratories begin with effective cannabis testing equipment
Cannabis testing labs have a responsibility to deliver test results that are beyond reproach. Not only does True Labs for Cannabis test to ensure products meet legal safety requirements, we also go above and beyond by providing additional testing services for our customers to ensure quality and safety of their cannabis products.
In legal cannabis markets like New Jersey, consumers are quickly learning about what makes a cannabis product safe and of quality. By providing them with clear, factual data about what is in the cannabis products they are buying, brands can establish transparent, trusted relationships and gain a competitive advantage needed to emerge as a leader in the rapidly growing cannabis industry. A third party laboratory like East Hanover, N.J.-based True Labs for Cannabis is the best way to obtain and report those results.