GC–MS

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Green Solvents for Microextraction

April 30th 2024

Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine recently published a review on how green solvents can further the evolution of microextraction techniques.

Dr. Paola Tiedemann of Texas Tech University. Photo Credit: © Paola Tiedemann
Inside the Laboratory: The Forensic Analytical Chemistry and Odor Profiling Laboratory at Texas Tech University

April 30th 2024

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TD-GC–MS and IDMS Sample Prep for CRM to Quantify Decabromodiphenyl Ether in Polystyrene Matrix

April 26th 2024

A Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS Method for Analyzing Microplastics in Air: An Interview with Ana Torres-Agullo and Silvia Lacorte
A Pyr-GC-Orbitrap-MS Method for Analyzing Microplastics in Air: An Interview with Ana Torres-Agullo and Silvia Lacorte

April 22nd 2024

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An Inside Look at Green Analytical Chemistry: The Rise of GC–IMS as a Sustainable Alternative to GC–MS

April 18th 2024

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Analysis of Terpenes in Cannabis Using Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and GC–MS

May 1st 2017

As the legalization of medicinal cannabis continues to sweep across the United States, an urgent need has developed for fast, accurate and efficient analytical testing. In addition to testing for contaminants and potency, there is also interest in the determination of terpene identity and concentration levels present in different strains of cannabis. Terpenes have been shown to have therapeutic uses for treatment of different medical conditions ranging from cancer and inflammation, to anxiety and sleeplessness. It is believed that the combination of terpenes and cannabinoids in cannabis produce a synergistic effect with regards to medical benefits. The traditional testing method for terpenes in plant materials involves a solvent-based extraction followed by GC analysis. In this work, headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used to identify and quantify terpene content in cannabis. The HS-SPME method provided several advantages over solvent extraction in that it provided a cleaner analysis, free of interferences from co-extracted matrix, and was non-destructive to the sample. A cannabis sample of unknown origin was first analyzed qualitatively by HS-SPME and GC-MS. Spectral library matching and retention indices were used to identify 42 different terpenes. Quantitative analysis was then performed for several selected terpenes using spiked samples. Method accuracy was >90%, with reproducibility of