From Sample to Verdict: News and Peer-Reviewed Content

As part of “From Sample to Verdict,” we present a compilation of the latest news articles and peer-reviewed content that highlight the utility of chromatography in forensic analysis. Happy reading!

The LCGC Blog: Avenues of Circumvention and Issues with Cannabis Products: Δ8-THC, THCA Flower, and Forensics Analysis

Cannabis contains therapeutic compounds but remains federally restricted, limiting legal access despite medical benefits. Loopholes allow sale of gray-area products like Δ8-THC and THCA flower, posing risks for users and law enforcement. Δ8-THC is often synthetically made from CBD and may contain Δ9-THC, which can accumulate and affect drug test results. Forensic labs struggle to distinguish between THC isomers, leading to legal issues for unsuspecting consumers (1).

Profiling Cannabis Samples Using GC–MS

Scientists from the Messina Institute of Technology used gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to analyze seized Cannabis sativa L. samples, profiling cannabinoids, terpenes, chiral compounds, and isotopic ratios. This study demonstrates that combining these analytical techniques could help group narcotic samples by origin and strengthen forensic investigations for law enforcement (2).

Study: Recent Advances in Preparation for Biological Samples

Scientists from Sun Yat-Sen University reviewed advances in media for biological sample preparation over the past five years, highlighting materials such as porous organic frameworks, imprinted polymers, and bioactive media that improve extraction, selectivity, and sensitivity (3). This review emphasizes how integrating these media with technologies like solid-phase extraction, microfluidics, and AI could enhance efficiency and accuracy in healthcare, forensic science, and environmental monitoring.

Low-Resolution or High-Resolution MS for Clinical and Forensic Toxicology: Some Considerations from Two Real Cases

This article highlights how combining low-resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS) with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) strengthens forensic toxicology by balancing LRMS’s sensitivity with HRMS’s superior specificity, as shown in two real case studies involving suspected drug use and drug-facilitated assault (4). The findings demonstrate that HRMS is essential for confirming or refuting LRMS results, preventing false positives, and ensuring reliable toxicological analysis.

The LCGC Blog: Forensics Laboratories Underassess Uncertainty in Blood Alcohol Determinations

This article argues that many forensic laboratories significantly underassess uncertainty in blood alcohol determinations by relying on outdated methods and limited validation, leading to questionable accuracy in results that can have serious legal consequences (5).

Potential Obstacles in Chromatographic Analyses Distinguishing Marijuana from Hemp

In this feature article, Walter B. Wilson of NIST discusses his team’s research on chromatographic interferences that may artificially inflate Δ9-THC levels in Cannabis sativa samples and strategies to mitigate these issues (6).

Jack Henion Highlights Collaborative Efforts Driving LC–MS Breakthroughs at ASMS

At the ASMS conference in Baltimore, Cornell Professor Emeritus Jack Henion reflected on his contributions to LC–MS, its real-world forensic applications, and the collaborative spirit that has driven the field’s most impactful innovations (7).

Researchers Explore Gas Chromatography to Improve Forensic Ink Analysis

Researchers from Shandong University developed a method that combines gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS) with machine learning (ML) to study how gel-pen ink changes over time. Their study identified three main temporal evolution stages and achieved highly accurate aging predictions using tree-based ML models, with CatBoost reaching 100% classification accuracy.

References

1. Hildenbrand, Z. L.; Giguere, M.; Schug, K. A. The LCGC Blog: Avenues of Circumvention and Issues with Cannabis Products: Δ8-THC, THCA Flower, and Forensics Analysis. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/the-lcgc-blog-avenues-of-circumvention-and-issues-with-cannabis-products-8-thc-thca-flower-and-forensics-analysis (accessed 2025-09-09).
2. Acevedo, A. Profiling Cannabis Samples Using GC–MS. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/profiling-cannabis-samples-using-gc-ms (accessed 2025-09-09).
3. Acevedo, A. Study: Recent Advances in Preparation for Biological Samples. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/study-recent-advances-in-preparation-for-biological-samples (accessed 2025-09-09).
4. Zarrouk, E.; El Balkhi, S.; Saint-Marcoux, F. Low-Resolution or High-Resolution MS for Clinical and Forensic Toxicology: Some Considerations from Two Real Cases. LCGC Suppl. 2023, 41 (s10), 24–27. DOI: 10.56530/lcgc.na.ez3089i6
5. Schug, K. A.; Hildenbrand, Z. L. The LCGC Blog: Forensics Laboratories Underassess Uncertainty in Blood Alcohol Determinations. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/the-lcgc-blog-forensics-laboratories-underassess-uncertainty-in-blood-alcohol-determinations (accessed 2025-09-09).
6. Chasse, J. Potential Obstacles in Chromatographic Analyses Distinguishing Marijuana from Hemp. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/potential-obstacles-in-chromatographic-analyses-distinguishing-marijuana-from-hemp (accessed 2025-09-09)
7. Hroncich, C. Jack Henion Highlights Collaborative Efforts Driving LC–MS Breakthroughs at ASMS. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/jack-henion-highlights-collaborative-efforts-driving-lc-ms-breakthroughs-at-asms (accessed 2025-09-09).
8. Acevedo, A. Researchers Explore Gas Chromatography to Improve Forensic Ink Analysis. LCGC International. Available at: https://www.chromatographyonline.com/view/researchers-explore-gas-chromatography-to-improve-forensic-ink-analysis (accessed 2025-09-09).