Before a lab can begin setting up, it’s important to understand the role of analytical instruments in cannabis testing and determine which equipment suits its needs.
Components and Characterization
Cannabis products come in a wide variety of strains with equally diverse chemical compounds. Beyond allowing for more accurate labeling by manufacturers and retailers, understanding the components of a cannabis product is also a crucial safety procedure.
Profiling and cannabis characterization allows doctors, patients, and general consumers to make the most informed decision possible regarding the products they choose. While cannabis products make an impact on a variety of ailments, not every strain or compound is safe and effective for each condition.
Liquid chromatography systems with diode array detectors (DADs) identify CBD and THC acid levels without heating the product. Testing at room temperature is especially beneficial when testing edible products that would otherwise undergo heat-catalyzed changes.
Potency Analysis
It is crucial, both as a lab and as a manufacturer, to remain conscious of legal changes as they occur and adapt new products to legal regulations. Among the most crucial factors that manufacturers must remain mindful of is a cannabis product’s potency. Frequent testing is essential to keeping products within state-specified potency limits. Gas chromatography offers a fast, simple alternative to other testing methods while still producing highly accurate potency results.
Cannabis Safety and Regulations
The goal of state regulations is to ensure consumers have access to trustworthy ingestible products. States across the US require testing for cannabis products to ensure they are safe for human consumption and use. Liquid chromatography systems paired with mass spectrometry identify targeted pesticides. Analytical instruments also efficiently identify the presence of heavy metals and mold, providing manufacturers and consumers a clear understanding of a product’s safety.
The overarching role of analytical instruments in cannabis testing is to verify a product’s contents and protect the public from potentially harmful substances. Alongside HPLC and MS equipment, GenTech Scientific offers certified, refurbished, and competitively priced gas chromatography machines. Browse our selection or contact our team today to learn more about how our analytical equipment moves your research further.
