{"id":42409,"date":"2019-08-21T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-21T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/uncategorized\/how-potent-is-my-sample-a-cannabinoid-qa\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T14:41:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T14:41:53","slug":"how-potent-is-my-sample-a-cannabinoid-qa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/videos-zh\/ffav3605\/how-potent-is-my-sample-a-cannabinoid-qa","title":{"rendered":"How Potent is My Sample? A Cannabinoid Q&#038;A"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How Potent is My Sample? A Cannabinoid Q&amp;A\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NBmmO0xPhuA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Description<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many different types of samples being sent to cannabis testing labs, is it realistic to expect a single sample extraction technique to work for all of them?&nbsp; Join Justin Steimling, Restek\u2019s LC Applications Laboratory Manager, as he discusses some considerations that go into choosing a sample extraction method based on the nature of the sample being analyzed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Resources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the analysis of different sample matrices for the presence of cannabinoids, with sample preparation information provided in the notes for each chromatogram:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0589\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0589\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Concentrate (HPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0592\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0592\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Concentrate (UHPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0588\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0588\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Flower (UHPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0590\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0590\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Flower (UHPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0593\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0593\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Chocolate (UHPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0591\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/chromatogram-detail\/LC_GN0591\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cannabis Hard Candy (UHPLC-UV)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Restek Recommended Tools &amp; Parts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/p\/9314A65\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Raptor ARC-18<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.restek.com\/search\/reference-standards\/_\/N-1972099676+2692072789?Ntt=reference+standards&amp;Ns=bestMatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cannabis Standards<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hello, my name is Justin&nbsp;Steimling. I\u2019m the LC applications manager at Restek.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:&nbsp;<\/strong>What&#8217;s one key to a successful cannabis potency analysis and why?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think one of the most important aspects of doing cannabis testing, particularly potency determination, is the sample preparation itself. And the reason that I say sample preparation is so important is just the fact that there are so many cannabis matrices out there that it really makes it difficult to just use one method for everything.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;How do&nbsp;you match sample prep to the sample?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think that matching an extraction procedure to a sample is probably the most important thing that you consider when you\u2019re doing method development because you want to consider the composition of the sample, and you want to be able to use that to drive purposeful method development. And what I mean by that\u2026 When you have samples like oils which are high in fats, you have edibles which can be high in carbohydrates.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the way that you&nbsp;actually do&nbsp;the preparation for those two different things can be completely different because you have to consider solubility, if there\u2019s anything that is added to the sample as a formulation in something like a&nbsp;balm&nbsp;or a lotion. And there\u2019s also things to consider when you\u2019re doing certain types of edibles like chocolate for example. Chocolate contains a lot of carbohydrates, but it also contains a lot of lipids. So, just being aware of the sample composition that you\u2019re trying to analyze is incredibly important because that\u2019s&nbsp;really what&nbsp;drives purposeful method development.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;Can you give us some examples?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the variety of the samples itself contributes to the extraction process because you&nbsp;have to&nbsp;consider how you\u2019re actually going to get the most efficient extraction of cannabinoids from your sample. Take for instance you have something like gummy bears or a hard candy composite, that\u2019s something that\u2019s mainly compromised of sugars. Well, I could homogenize that sample and extract with an organic solvent, and I could see cannabinoids. But I might not get the best extraction efficiency that way. So, a strategy to handle that&nbsp;particular sample&nbsp;would be to dissolve the actual matrices into something like water, so I fully solubilize the sample. And then I extract it with an organic solvent. There are other sample types such as chocolates and lotions where you can take a different type of approach. For&nbsp;example&nbsp;in chocolates, it\u2019s actually really effective to take the sample and heat it up slightly. So, you just melt it&nbsp;down&nbsp;so the sample is essentially homogenized. And once you put that into an organic solvent, you can be sure that you\u2019re doing a very efficient extraction.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;Let\u2019s talk some more about&nbsp;homogenization. It\u2019s a pretty important step.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ensuring that your sample is homogenous is super important because you want to make sure that what you are going to report as your result is&nbsp;actually representative&nbsp;of the entire sample. Depending on where you sample, you might find that in a cannabis flower, you might have a high concentration in one area, particularly in the trichome\u2019s, and a low concentration closer to the leaves and the stem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as mechanical homogenization is concerned, when you\u2019re working with the cannabis flower itself, a good technique is just to use a blender. But if you\u2019re going to use a blender, I have found that it\u2019s really effective if you pair that with the use of dry ice because one of the things that\u2019s nice about using a blender and dry ice is that you\u2019ll produce a sample that is not only homogenous, but the particle size is nice and small. The sample is free flowing, and it\u2019s very easy to work with.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also use something such as a ball mill if you\u2019re looking at homogenizing your flower. One of the things that is difficult when you\u2019re working with a ball mill is that some of the trichome\u2019s can&nbsp;actually stick&nbsp;to the ball. So, you want to make sure that you rinse that off before you proceed with your extraction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;Okay, once we have our extract, how about cleanup?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve extracted your sample, now you&nbsp;have to&nbsp;consider different types of clean ups that you\u2019re going to have to do post extraction. And it really depends on your sample type. If you are extracting something like a gummy bear, odds are you don\u2019t really have to do a whole lot of cleanup because that sample is going to be&nbsp;pretty clean. But if you do an extraction\u2026again, referencing the chocolate bar. Now you\u2019re going to have a lot of dissolved fats in that sample, and you want to tailor your post extraction&nbsp;clean up&nbsp;to the&nbsp;particular matrix. And the example of the chocolate bar, something that is&nbsp;actually particularly&nbsp;effective is if you take the sample, put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, and let all the lipids actually crash out. And in the industry, that\u2019s known as winterizing, which is effectively a temperature induced precipitation. But if you do these sorts of strategies, you\u2019ll find that the sample cleanup that you do now will&nbsp;actually be&nbsp;beneficial when you move the sample analysis to the instruments itself.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;How do we know if our extraction was efficient?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Determining how effective your sample extraction and clean up was is really the&nbsp;million dollar&nbsp;question in this industry. There are&nbsp;a number of&nbsp;ways that you can actually go about determining the efficiency of your extraction. One of the easy ways to do it is if you have a sample that doesn\u2019t&nbsp;actually solubilize&nbsp;into your extraction solvent. And this is something more like a flower. You can&nbsp;actually go&nbsp;back and re-extract. And if you\u2019re finding that in your re-extraction, you\u2019re pulling more cannabinoids into your extraction solvent, odds are you need to rework your extraction solvent and your extraction itself in order to make sure that you\u2019re doing a more efficient extraction.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;What if your sample dissolves in the extraction solvent?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are still strategies available if your sample does dissolve in the extraction solvent. One of the most popular methods is to consider doing standard addition. There is a problem with doing standard addition in the fact that the reference standards that you can get that are DEA exempt are&nbsp;actually pretty&nbsp;low in concentration compared to the actual cannabis products or cannabis itself that you\u2019re going to be testing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the best ways to handle the low concentration of standard compared to the cannabis product itself is to&nbsp;actually scale&nbsp;down the size of your extraction. A lot of times, you\u2019re going to be working with a standard solution that is around one mg per milliliter. So, you know that for every milliliter you have, you have one milligram. So, you can only work with so much additional matrix on top of that in order to make the actual concentrations relevant. So, if you scale down your actual extraction, you will find that you\u2019re able to create a more potent sample that is actually\u2026that shows a great disparity between the original sample and the post spike sample. So, you\u2019ll really be able to evaluate the efficiency of your extraction via standard addition.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;if you originally start out with one gram of sample, there\u2019s no reason that you can\u2019t scale it down to 0.1&nbsp; grams as long as you\u2019re also matching and scaling down the extraction solvent, going from 10&nbsp;mLs&nbsp;down to 1&nbsp;mL.&nbsp;It will show that your extraction efficiency is still performing the same. It\u2019s just performed on a lot smaller scale.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Question:<\/strong>&nbsp;Thanks, Justin! Any final thoughts?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I really feel for all these cannabis testing labs that&nbsp;have to deal with these wide variety of matrices. I understand that you get a lot of samples and you don&#8217;t really have a whole lot of time, but the good news is that it doesn&#8217;t actually take a whole lot of time to do extraction efficiency experiments, and what it costs in time it certainly adds more in value. I hope you found this Q&amp;A session to be helpful. Please feel free to reach out to us at Restek if you have any questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Interested in cannabinoid extraction techniques for potency analysis?  Challenged by the diversity of sample matrices on the market today?  Join us for a discussion about how to make sure your extractions are efficient in this Q&#038;A with a Restek chemist!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":40968,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[775],"tags":[],"industries-application":[2173],"post-badge":[],"resource-type":[],"product-library":[2411],"resource-technique":[],"ppma_author":[414],"class_list":["post-42409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-videos-zh","industries-application-cannabis-zh","product-library-sample-preparation-products-zh"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":775,"label":"\u89c6\u9891"}],"industries-application":[{"value":2173,"label":"\u5927\u9ebb"}],"product-library":[{"value":2411,"label":"\u6837\u54c1\u524d\u5904\u7406\u4ea7\u54c1"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/feature-FFAV3605-1024x536.jpg",1024,536,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Restek Corporation","author_link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/author\/restek-corporation\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":775,"name":"\u89c6\u9891","slug":"videos-zh","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":775,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":134,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":775,"category_count":134,"category_description":"","cat_name":"\u89c6\u9891","category_nicename":"videos-zh","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"authors":[{"term_id":414,"user_id":11,"is_guest":0,"slug":"restek-corporation","display_name":"Restek Corporation","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Restek_Favicon_300x300.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Restek_Favicon_300x300.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42409"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85173,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42409\/revisions\/85173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"industries-application","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industries-application?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"post-badge","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-badge?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"product-library","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-library?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"resource-technique","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-technique?post=42409"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=42409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}