CBD analysis in Oils and Foods

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD) has become a very prominent topic in the medical community and popular marketplace because of its widespread consumer use. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other similar molecules can be present in commercial CBD products, so testing is necessary to determine purity of the CBD. Existing methods of analysis for CBD oils are only known on GC-FID (gas chromatography - flame ionization detector) and these methods are not optimal for the wide variety of commercial CBD products available. Thus, I have optimized using a GC-MS method, based on a published GC-FID method, that can be applied to a wide variety of foods, gummies, and other items that may contain CBD and similar molecules. I have optimized the method by varying column temperature, ramp rates, and parameters within the mass spectrometer, to find a balance between run times, analyte detection, and resolution for the CBC/CBD/CBN, etc. cannabinoid molecules present in commercial CBD oil samples. I then used the optimized method on a variety of commercial and self-prepared CBD edibles to assess the recovery and degradation of CBD and other similar molecules.