Development of Pure Certified Reference Material of Cannabidiol

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the major functional component in hemp and has a broad range of pharmacological applications, such as analgesic, anti-epileptic, anti-anxiety, etc. Currently, CBD is widely used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food. To ensure the quality and safety of the products containing CBD, more and more related sample testing is being conducted, and the demand for CBD-certified reference material (CRM) has also sharply increased. However, there is currently a lack of relevant reference materials. In this paper, a simple method for preparing CBD CRM was established based on preparative liquid chromatography using crude hemp extract as a raw material. A qualitative analysis of CBD was performed using techniques such as ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (UV), infrared spectroscopy (IR), mass spectrometry (MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the homogeneity and stability tests, and the data were analyzed using an F-test and a T-test, respectively. Then, eight qualified laboratories were chosen for the determination of a certified value using HPLC. The results show that the CBD CRM had excellent homogeneity and good stability for 18 months. The certified value was 99.57%, with an expanded uncertainty of 0.24% (p = 0.95, k = 2). The developed CBD CRM can be used for the detection and quality control of cannabidiol products.

Evaluating Different Extraction Approaches for GC-MS Based Metabolomics Analysis of the Giant Pandas' Fur

Giant pandas in zoo captivity are situated in residential areas, where environmental pollutants and anthropogenic factors have an impact on their health. Hair metabolomics has been applied in numerous environmental toxicological studies. Therefore, the panda fur metabolome could be a reliable approach to reflect endogenous and exogenous metabolic changes related to environmental exposure. However, there is no established extraction protocol to study the fur metabolome of pandas. The aim of this research was to optimize the extraction of panda fur metabolome for high-throughput metabolomics analysis using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fur samples were collected from five pandas. Eight different extraction methods were investigated and evaluated for their reproducibility, metabolite coverage, and extraction efficiency, particularly in relation to the biochemical compound classes such as amino acids, tricarboxylic acid cycle derivatives, fatty acids, and secondary metabolites. Our results demonstrated that HCl + ACN were the superior extraction solvents for amino acid and secondary metabolite extraction, and NaOH + MeOH was ideal for fatty acid extraction. Interestingly, the metabolomic analysis of panda fur was capable of discriminating the longitudinal metabolite profile between black and white furs. These extraction protocols can be used in future study protocols for the analysis of the fur metabolome in pandas.

Determination and Distribution of Cannabinoids in Nail and Hair Samples

Hair has been used for decades in toxicology as a biological matrix for long-term detection of substances. Nails are another keratinized matrix that is being studied as an alternative when hair cannot be obtained. Although cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug in the world, cannabinoid distribution in nails compared with hair has been scarcely studied. In this work, we described two methods for the determination of cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and main metabolites of THC [11-nor-9-carboxy-THC (THCCOOH), 11-hydroxy-THC (OHTHC) and 8-β-11-dihydroxyTHC (diOHTHC)] in nail and hair samples. After an alkaline hydrolysis, samples were submitted to solid-phase extraction and analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS). The methods were fully validated, with good linearity (r2 > 0.99) in the range of 20 to 100 to 20,000 pg/mg. No endogenous or exogenous interferences were found. Accuracy was from 99.5% to 109.8%, and imprecision was <6.9%. Ion suppression (up to −74.4%) was observed for all the analytes, except for diOHTHC at low concentrations in hair (46.1%). Extraction efficiency ranged from 21.5% to 84.5%. The methods were applied to matched nail and hair specimens from 23 cannabis users to study the incorporation and distribution of the cannabinoids into these matrices. Only CBD, CBN and THC were detected in the samples, with much higher concentrations in fingernails than in toenails and hair. Correlations between analyte concentrations in the different matrices and with reported drug consumption were studied. A preliminary cut-off for THC in toenails was calculated using the cut-off proposed by the Society of Hair Testing in hair for the identification of chronic cannabis use.

Interpol review of toxicology 2016-2019

This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature in toxicology from 2016 to 2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.int/content/download/14458/file/Interpol%20Review%20.Papers%202019.pdf.

Automation of mass spectrometric detection of analytes and related workflows: A review

The developments in mass spectrometry (MS) in the past few decades reveal the power and versatility of this technology. MS methods are utilized in routine analyses as well as research activities involving a broad range of analytes (elements and molecules) and countless matrices. However, manual MS analysis is gradually becoming a thing of the past. In this article, the available MS automation strategies are critically evaluated. Automation of analytical workflows culminating with MS detection encompasses involvement of automated operations in any of the steps related to sample handling/treatment before MS detection, sample introduction, MS data acquisition, and MS data processing. Automated MS workflows help to overcome the intrinsic limitations of MS methodology regarding reproducibility, throughput, and the expertise required to operate MS instruments. Such workflows often comprise automated off-line and on-line steps such as sampling, extraction, derivatization, and separation. The most common instrumental tools include autosamplers, multi-axis robots, flow injection systems, and lab-on-a-chip. Prototyping customized automated MS systems is a way to introduce non-standard automated features to MS workflows. The review highlights the enabling role of automated MS procedures in various sectors of academic research and industry. Examples include applications of automated MS workflows in bioscience, environmental studies, and exploration of the outer space.

Yield and Quality of Essential Oils in Hemp Varieties in Different Environments

Due to its possible utilization in cosmetics, medicine and crop protection, as a valuable alternative to petrochemical-derived products, hemp essential oil is now considered a product with high value added and a promising marketing potential. This experiment was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of four different locations of Northern Italy during two years (four environments) and three hemp monoecious varieties on the production and quality of essential oils (EOs) obtained by inflorescences harvested at full flowering of female flowers. The highest inflorescence yield was obtained at Maiano 2017, where a superficial groundwater layer (1.5 m) was present, with values that ranged from 1.69 of Fedora to 2.06 t ha−1 of Futura. EOs production ranged between 3.4 and 4.9 L ha−1, affected mainly by the variety effect. The terpene in EOs, very similar between varieties and environments, was mainly composed of sesquiterpenes (caryophillene and humulene, as the most abundant) rather than monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-myrcene and trans-β-ocimene, in particular). Phytocannabinoids, and in particular cannabidiol (CBD), were not removed from tissues by the steam during hydrodistillation, and if this is confirmed by further experiments, the residual biomass, now considered as waste, could assume significant importance as a source for further utilization.