Shimadzu Europa GmbH | Company Presentation

QC testing for cannabinoids is essential for the accurate labeling of cannabis and hemp products. The term "potency" is normally reserved for the quantitation of the major cannabinoids, namely THCA, THC, CBD, and CBN. HPLC has emerged as the gold standard for potency testing, as separation and detection of the cannabinoids is done without causing any decomposition of the naturally abundant THCA. Furthermore, the HPLC-UV method provides good linearity, low limit of detection, as well as high precision of retention time and peak area for the cannabinoids of interest. Determination of contaminants such as Pesticides and Mycotoxins is done using LC-MS/MS. The characterization of terpenes and their synergistic effect with cannabinoids is easily achieved using Shimadzu gas chromatography (GC). The ICPMS-2030 Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer provides high sensitivity to measure low levels of toxic metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury using a newly developed collision cell for minimizing interferences. Shimadzu's analytical toolbox including the complete array of analytical system configurations enables cannabis labs to operate efficiently and fully compliant with international regulations.