Establish Your Cannabis Lab Fast - Ready-to-run eMethods and applications for cannabis testing: an application compendium

Importance of the Topic

Comprehensive testing of cannabis and hemp products ensures consumer safety, regulatory compliance, and product consistency. The complex plant matrix and diverse analytes require robust analytical workflows.

Objectives and Study Overview

This compendium outlines ready-to-run eMethods and applications for potency analysis, pesticide and mycotoxin screening, heavy metal detection, residual solvent quantification, terpene profiling, and microbial testing. Designed to accelerate lab startup and maintain high throughput under evolving regulations.

Methodology and Instrumentation

• Chromatographic and spectrometric platforms: HPLC-UV, LC/MS, LC/MS/MS, GC/MS/MS, headspace GC/MS, FTIR, ICP-MS
• Molecular techniques: qPCR with automated liquid handling for microbial assays
• Sample preparation: ready-to-use kits and single-stream protocols optimized for each analysis type
• Software and eMethods: preconfigured acquisition, data analysis templates, and reporting workflows

Main Results and Discussion

• Potency: Rapid quantification of THC, THCA, CBD, and 11 other cannabinoids by LC-UV/MS and FTIR, supporting compliance and differentiation between hemp and cannabis
• Pesticides and Mycotoxins: Dual-platform LC/MS/MS and GC/MS/MS workflows deliver sensitive, reliable detection across extensive target lists; streamlined sample cleanup ensures matrix compatibility
• Heavy Metals: ICP-MS Cannabis Analyzer provides multi-element quantification with high throughput and simplified method development
• Residual Solvents: Headspace GC/MS methods meet regional limits for VOCs, delivering efficient compliance testing
• Terpenes: Direct GC/MS injection enables profiling of 40 common terpenes for flavor and aroma consistency
• Microbial Safety: qPCR-based assays reduce false results, offering definitive detection of pathogens in fewer plates compared to culture methods

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Significantly reduced startup time using prevalidated eMethods and consumable kits
• Minimized method development and optimization effort through expert-defined protocols
• High throughput and reduced downtime by standardized instrumentation workflows
• Comprehensive data management and reporting that align with regulatory requirements

Future Trends and Potential Applications

As legislation evolves, integration of high-resolution mass spectrometry, advanced automation, and data analytics will enhance sensitivity, expand analyte coverage, and streamline workflows. Emerging techniques such as ambient ionization and machine learning–driven data interpretation promise further efficiency gains.

Conclusion

The presented workflows and ready-to-run eMethods from Agilent provide a turnkey solution for cannabis and hemp testing laboratories, enabling rapid deployment, regulatory compliance, and robust data quality across multiple analyte classes.

Reference

• Agilent eMethods for potency testing: G5277AA Options 010, 020; 1260 Infinity II eMethods
• eMethods for pesticides and mycotoxins: G5279AA Options 010, 030; G5278AA Options 010–030
• ICP-MS Cannabis Analyzer documentation
• Residual solvents headspace GC/MS analysis protocols
• Terpenes profiling with Intuvo 9000/5977B GC/MS
• Medicinal Genomics PathoSeek microbial testing workflow with Agilent qPCR systems