Commercial cannabis consumer products part 2: HPLC-DAD quantitative analysis of cannabis cannabinoids

Abstract

Quantitative analysis for the cannabis cannabinoids such as cannabidiol and Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol in commercial products is necessary for evaluating label information, and assessing dosages and exposures when the products are consumed. Herein is presented a broadly applicable HPLC-DAD method for the determination of cannabis cannabinoids in commercial consumer products and traditional plant-related substances. The current method provides chromatographic resolution of 11 cannabinoids using a commercial, mixed C18-aromatic functionality stationary phase. The method uses 95% or pure ethanol for extraction, and certain modifications which address specific matrix types are detailed herein. Extensive method validation including precision and accuracy was conducted for five cannabinoids of primary interest (CBD, Δ⁹-THC, CBDA, THCA, and CBN). UV detection provided excellent sensitivity with limits of quantitation (LOQs) of 10μg/g across cannabinoids. The method was applied to about 60 commercial products representing diverse product types and a broad range of cannabinoids amounts (0.01-350mg/g).

Keywords: Cannabidiol; Cannabis cannabinoids; Commercial cannabis products; High performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD); Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol.