Partner With Agilent for Start-To-Finish Cannabis and Hemp Testing

Significance of the Topic

Reliable testing of cannabis and hemp is critical for ensuring product safety, regulatory compliance and consumer confidence. Comprehensive analytical workflows help labs meet diverse state and international standards by accurately quantifying cannabinoids, detecting contaminants and verifying product quality.

Objectives and Study Overview

This application note presents an end-to-end solution for cannabis and hemp testing. It aims to streamline workflows from sample preparation through analysis, method development and data processing, demonstrating how preconfigured kits, standardized methods and integrated software can accelerate lab setup and maximize productivity.

Methodology

Agilent’s approach covers six key test categories:

• Potency: reverse-phase HPLC for D8- and D9-THC resolution.
• Pesticides and Mycotoxins: LC/MS/MS screening of regulatory analytes.
• Heavy Metals: ICP-MS analysis for multi-element quantitation in all matrices.
• Residual Solvents: GC/MS methods tailored to state-specific solvent lists.
• Terpenes: GC/MS profiling of 40 monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes.
• Microbial Detection: qPCR assays (single and multiplex) for pathogen screening.

Preconfigured sample-prep kits, ready-to-run electronic methods and MassHunter software further simplify decision-making and method execution.

Used Instrumentation

• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Liquid Chromatography Tandem Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (LC/TQ)
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
• Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
• AriaMX Quantitative PCR System with Medicinal Genomics Kits

Main Results and Discussion

Agilent workflows deliver high throughput and robust performance:

• Potency: over 100 analyses per 24 hours with clear THC isomer separation.
• Pesticides: 96 injections per day covering regulated compounds.
• Metals: analysis of 400 samples per day in diverse matrices with a single calibration.
• Residual Solvents and Terpenes: comprehensive panels for state-specific solvents and 40 terpenes.
• Microbial: flexible qPCR assays for broad pathogen detection.

Integrated kits and software reduce setup time and minimize troubleshooting, resulting in consistent, reproducible data.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Accelerated method deployment with prevalidated eMethods.
• Reduced risk of noncompliance through standardized protocols.
• Improved lab productivity via streamlined sample prep and automated data analysis.
• Scalable solutions for routine testing and advanced research.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry, automation and digital workflows will further enhance cannabis analytics. Machine learning–driven data interpretation, expanded target panels and seamless lab-information management system integration are poised to improve accuracy and efficiency in quality control and research applications.

Conclusion

Agilent’s start-to-finish cannabis and hemp testing portfolio offers a cohesive, high-throughput solution that addresses potency, contaminants and microbial safety. By combining preconfigured kits, validated methods and integrated software, laboratories can achieve reliable results, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

References

• Agilent Technologies, Start-To-Finish Cannabis and Hemp Testing, Application Note 5994-3645EN, July 2021.