Quantitative analysis of cannabinoids by zone heat-assisted DART-MS with in-situ flash derivatization

IF 2.6 3区医学 Q2 CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL

Forensic Chemistry Pub Date : 2025-01-12 DOI:10.1016/j.forc.2025.100641

Wen Dong , Junxiaohan Yuan , Xin Yang , Ning Zhang , Mengliang Zhang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Accurate quantitation of cannabinoids, particularly Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), is essential for regulatory compliance, forensic investigations, and cannabis product development. Traditional methods, such as liquid chromatography (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry, provide reliable results but are time-consuming and resource-intensive. This study introduces a rapid and high-throughput analytical method using zone heat-assisted direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) combined with in-situ flash derivatization. The method employs trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide (TMPAH) for efficient derivatization, allowing for the differentiation of THC, CBD, and their acidic precursors, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). A custom heated transfer zone was implemented to enhance derivatization efficiency and reduce carryover effects. The method was optimized for reagent concentration and gas stream temperature, achieving high specificity by minimizing interference from isomeric cannabinoids. Validation studies demonstrate good accuracy (relative error within ±15.9 %) and precision (relative standard deviation ≤15 %), with limits of quantitation of 7.5 µg/mL for THC/CBD and 0.5 µg/mL for THCA/CBDA. Comparative analysis of cannabis samples showed a strong correlation with reference LC/MS results, highlighting the reliability of the proposed method. DART-MS offers a significant time advantage, requiring only 10 s per analysis, making it a promising tool for high-throughput screening of cannabis samples in forensic laboratories.

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来源期刊

Forensic Chemistry CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL-

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

14.80%

发文量

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Forensic Chemistry publishes high quality manuscripts focusing on the theory, research and application of any chemical science to forensic analysis. The scope of the journal includes fundamental advancements that result in a better understanding of the evidentiary significance derived from the physical and chemical analysis of materials. The scope of Forensic Chemistry will also include the application and or development of any molecular and atomic spectrochemical technique, electrochemical techniques, sensors, surface characterization techniques, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, chemometrics and statistics, and separation sciences (e.g. chromatography) that provide insight into the forensic analysis of materials. Evidential topics of interest to the journal include, but are not limited to, fingerprint analysis, drug analysis, ignitable liquid residue analysis, explosives detection and analysis, the characterization and comparison of trace evidence (glass, fibers, paints and polymers, tapes, soils and other materials), ink and paper analysis, gunshot residue analysis, synthetic pathways for drugs, toxicology and the analysis and chemistry associated with the components of fingermarks. The journal is particularly interested in receiving manuscripts that report advances in the forensic interpretation of chemical evidence. Technology Readiness Level: When submitting an article to Forensic Chemistry, all authors will be asked to self-assign a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to their article. The purpose of the TRL system is to help readers understand the level of maturity of an idea or method, to help track the evolution of readiness of a given technique or method, and to help filter published articles by the expected ease of implementation in an operation setting within a crime lab.