{"title":"Identifying a suspect powder as a cannabis concentrate through chemical analysis and DNA testing.","authors":"Tadashi Yamamuro, Yusuke Saito, Yuki Okada, Hiroki Segawa, Kenji Kuwayama, Kenji Tsujikawa, Tatsuyuki Kanamori, Yuko T Iwata","doi":"10.1007/s11419-023-00672-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Cannabis is regulated in many countries, and cannabis products are diversifying, which can hinder identification. Here, we report the seizure of a powder sample with a cannabis-like odor in a spice bottle labeled \"nutmeg\" and identification of the sample by chemical testing and cannabis DNA testing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The sample was observed under a microscope, extracted with methanol, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chemical profile of the seized powder was compared with that of nutmeg samples. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection was used to estimate the total Δ<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ<sup>9</sup>-THC) concentration in the sample. A commercially available cannabis DNA testing kit was used to confirm the presence of cannabis plant DNA in the seized sample.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The characteristics of cannabis in the seized powder were difficult to determine through microscopic observation alone. GC-MS analysis identified β-caryophyllene (an aromatic component of cannabis) and five cannabinoids unique to cannabis, including Δ<sup>9</sup>-THC. No common compounds were identified in the seized powder or nutmeg samples. The total Δ<sup>9</sup>-THC concentration in the sample was very high (approximately 47% by weight). Cannabis DNA testing confirmed that the seized powder contained cannabis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The seized powder was found to be a processed product made from a finely pulverized resin-like cannabis concentrate. Our results indicate that combined chemical and DNA analysis should help identify cannabis-related samples in various forms.</p>","PeriodicalId":12329,"journal":{"name":"Forensic Toxicology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Forensic Toxicology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-023-00672-y","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/8/21 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"TOXICOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Cannabis is regulated in many countries, and cannabis products are diversifying, which can hinder identification. Here, we report the seizure of a powder sample with a cannabis-like odor in a spice bottle labeled "nutmeg" and identification of the sample by chemical testing and cannabis DNA testing.
Methods: The sample was observed under a microscope, extracted with methanol, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The chemical profile of the seized powder was compared with that of nutmeg samples. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection was used to estimate the total Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) concentration in the sample. A commercially available cannabis DNA testing kit was used to confirm the presence of cannabis plant DNA in the seized sample.
Results: The characteristics of cannabis in the seized powder were difficult to determine through microscopic observation alone. GC-MS analysis identified β-caryophyllene (an aromatic component of cannabis) and five cannabinoids unique to cannabis, including Δ9-THC. No common compounds were identified in the seized powder or nutmeg samples. The total Δ9-THC concentration in the sample was very high (approximately 47% by weight). Cannabis DNA testing confirmed that the seized powder contained cannabis.
Conclusions: The seized powder was found to be a processed product made from a finely pulverized resin-like cannabis concentrate. Our results indicate that combined chemical and DNA analysis should help identify cannabis-related samples in various forms.
目的：许多国家都对大麻进行管制，大麻产品也日趋多样化，这可能会妨碍识别工作。在此，我们报告了在一个标有 "肉豆蔻 "的香料瓶中查获的具有类似大麻气味的粉末样本，以及通过化学测试和大麻 DNA 测试对样本进行鉴定的情况：方法：在显微镜下观察样品，用甲醇提取，并用气相色谱-质谱法（GC-MS）进行分析。将缉获的粉末与肉豆蔻样品的化学成分进行比较。气相色谱-火焰离子化检测法用于估算样品中的Δ9-四氢大麻酚（Δ9-THC）总浓度。使用市售的大麻 DNA 检测试剂盒确认缉获样本中是否含有大麻植物 DNA：结果：仅通过显微镜观察很难确定所缉获粉末中大麻的特征。气相色谱-质谱分析确定了 β-石竹烯（大麻的一种芳香成分）和五种大麻特有的大麻素，包括 Δ9-四氢大麻酚。在缉获的粉末或肉豆蔻样品中没有发现常见的化合物。样品中的Δ9-THC 总浓度非常高（按重量计约为 47%）。大麻 DNA 检测证实缉获的粉末中含有大麻：发现缉获的粉末是一种由树脂状大麻浓缩物精细粉碎而成的加工产品。我们的结果表明，结合化学和 DNA 分析应有助于鉴别各种形式的大麻相关样本。
期刊介绍：
The journal Forensic Toxicology provides an international forum for publication of studies on toxic substances, drugs of abuse, doping agents, chemical warfare agents, and their metabolisms and analyses, which are related to laws and ethics. It includes original articles, reviews, mini-reviews, short communications, and case reports. Although a major focus of the journal is on the development or improvement of analytical methods for the above-mentioned chemicals in human matrices, appropriate studies with animal experiments are also published.
Forensic Toxicology is the official publication of the Japanese Association of Forensic Toxicology (JAFT) and is the continuation of the Japanese Journal of Forensic Toxicology (ISSN 0915-9606).
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