Analytical Instrumentation Determining the THC and CBD Content of Cannabis Using FTIR
The value of cannabis in the control of pain, spasm and a range of other diseases (e.g., bipolar disorder and certain cancers) is becoming established across the medical world. Medicinal cannabis is now legal, or in the process of being legalized, across 25 states in the US, and also across countries from Canada, to the Netherlands and Italy. While the use of raw cannabis is still not approved by the FDA (in the USA) there are now pill forms of cannabinoids that can be used in the treatment of some medical conditions.
In the UK, the ‘End Our Pain campaign’ supports the legalisation of medical cannabis and estimates that one million people across the UK rely on cannabis for medical reasons. A seven-month inquiry from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Drug Policy Reform took evidence from 623 patients, professionals and experts and more than 20,000 scientific and medical reports and recently concluded that cannabis has medicinal value and could be legalised.
The Active Ingredients in Cannabis
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is the main psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis. When THC enters the body it interacts with cannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system and in the immune system. Aside from its well-known psychoactive effects, getting ‘stoned’, THC is imbued with a number of other valuable effects. THC has been demonstrated to increase appetite and to reduce nausea, pain, inflammation (swelling and redness), and muscle spasms.
The other major cannabinoid in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), also has therapeutic value and has been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, help control epileptic seizures, and has shown promise in treating mental illnesses.
THC and CBD have been used in the treatment of a range of different, unrelated, conditions (e.g., diabetes, glaucoma, bipolar disorder, multiple sclerosis) but they are mostly used in the treatment of chronic pain.
Growing Cannabis Cannabis plants are constantly being developed and selectively cross-bred in order to improve the yield of THCA and CBDA, and to also increase the range of other cannabinoids present, in the plants flowers. This has led to the need for a convenient and rapid analytical method to provide quantitative data on the cannabinoid content of different strains.
Spectroscopy is becoming a method of choice for cannabis growers as the use of spectroscopic methods is between 5 and 10 times faster than GC-MS and can be undertaken by a relatively unskilled operator.
powerful,
Using FTIR to Determine the THC and CBD Content of Cannabis
Cannabis producers are particularly interested in maximising the THC and CBD content (potency) of their plants by selective breeding plants by optimising their growing conditions (i.e., light, soil and water). As producers seek to optimise growing conditions, the monitoring of plants during growth is becoming commonplace. FTIR is rapidly become the method of choice as it can provide instant results.
FTIR can be used to monitor how plant potency changes over time, as the plant grows, and how any changes in the external environment have effected THC and CBD production.
FTIR analysis of cannabis, due to the wide range of cannabinoids present, could be problematic because peaks resulting from THC could be masked by other compounds. However, chemometric methods can be easily employed which statistically separates overlapping peaks. This allows the rapid and accurate, on-site determination of THCA and CBDA in cannabis flowers.
Both GC-MS and NMR require sampling, sample preparation and a specialist analytical lab, which causes delays and is more expensive. FTIR monitoring can be carried out continuously during plant growth, allowing conditions to be changed quickly to maximize the THC and CBD yield.
FTIR is an inexpensive and accurate method that provides an excellent method for monitoring THC and CBD levels in real-time.
Specac’s FTIR Accessories for Cannabis Analysis
Specac provide a range of ATR accessories that can be used with a wide range of spectrometers in the analysis of solid samples such as cannabis flowers. Specac’s Quest ATR spectrometer accessory is ideal for cannabis analysis as:
The diamond ATR puck allows a wide range of sample shapes and forms which is useful when dealing with dried flowers.
Little or no sample preparation is required, meaning no chemicals are required and the sample is not destroyed.
The diamond top plate allows the widest range of IR spectrum to be obtained 400-4000cm-1 meaning a wide range of cannabinoids can be detected.
The ATR accessories provided by Specac such as Quest provide the means to make the continuous and consistent FTIR analysis of cannabis a viable and inexpensive option for cannabis cultivators.
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Sample Grinding Planetary ball mill Final fineness of 40-200 μm
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The molecule Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
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