Consumables Kits for Cannabis Flower and Hemp

Importance of Cannabis Potency and Safety Testing

As legal requirements for both medicinal and recreational cannabis expand, laboratories must meet strict regulations for quantifying cannabinoids in flower and hemp and detecting trace levels of pesticides and mycotoxins. Reliable testing ensures consumer safety, product consistency, and compliance with evolving state and country standards.

Objectives and Study Overview

This document describes Agilent’s preconfigured Cannabis Consumables Kits designed to streamline the analytical workflow from sample preparation through chromatographic separation and detection. The goal is to minimize method development time, maximize throughput, and provide validated protocols and materials for potency and safety testing.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Agilent offers complete kits that include all necessary consumables, columns, and sample preparation products for:

• Sample preparation using ceramic homogenizers and SampliQ C18 solid-phase extraction cartridges with detailed step-by-step protocols.
• Liquid chromatography: LC/UV potency analysis with InfinityLab Poroshell 120 EC-C18 columns; LC/MS pesticide and mycotoxin assays using InfinityLab Poroshell 120 Phenyl-Hexyl columns.
• Gas chromatography: GC/MS workflows using Ultra Inert HP-5ms or DB-35ms columns on Agilent 7890/8890 and Intuvo 9000 systems.
• Detection: Variable wavelength detector at 230 nm for cannabinoids; tandem MS for trace pesticide and mycotoxin quantitation.

Main Results and Discussion

Kits are configured for 400 sample runs and include high-concentration potency standards manufactured under ISO 17025/17034 accreditation. Representative LC/UV chromatograms achieve baseline separation of major cannabinoids in under 9 minutes. Pesticide and mycotoxin protocols yield robust recovery and reproducible trace-level detection by LC/MS and GC/MS. Consolidation of supplies and validated methods reduces setup complexity and instrument downtime.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Rapid deployment of validated workflows accelerates laboratory readiness and regulatory compliance.
• One-stop shopping for sample prep, columns, consumables, and calibration standards simplifies procurement.
• Flexible ordering options allow full kits or à la carte selection to suit specific analyte lists.
• Comprehensive application compendia and expert technical support minimize troubleshooting and maximize uptime.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Emerging analytical needs include terpene profiling, heavy metal and residual solvent testing, and multi-class screening in a single run. Future developments may focus on higher-throughput automation, advanced multiplexed MS detection, digital method transfer, and integrated supply-chain ordering directly from informatics platforms.

Conclusion

Agilent’s Cannabis Consumables Kits provide a fully integrated, validated solution for cannabis potency and safety testing, supporting laboratories in achieving accurate results, regulatory compliance, and efficient operations.