Authors: Dirk W Lachenmeier Lars Kroener Frank Musshoff Burkhard Madea
Publish Date: 2003/11/04
Volume: 378, Issue: 1, Pages: 183-189
Abstract
A fully automated procedure using alkaline hydrolysis and headspace solidphase microextraction HSSPME followed by onfiber derivatization and gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric GC–MS detection has been developed for determination of cannabinoids in hemp food samples After addition of a deuterated internal standard the sample was hydrolyzed with sodium hydroxide and submitted to direct HSSPME After absorption of analytes for onfiber derivatization the fiber was placed directly into the headspace of a second vial containing NmethylNtrimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide MSTFA before GC–MS analysis Linearity was good for Δ 9tetrahydrocannabinol THC cannabidiol and cannabinol regression coefficients were greater than 099 Depending on the characteristics of the matrix the detection limits obtained ranged between 001 and 017 mg kg−1 and the precision between 04 and 118 In comparison with conventional liquid–liquid extraction this automated HSSPME–GC–MS procedure is substantially faster It is easy to perform solventfree and sample quantities are minimal yet it maintains the same sensitivity and reproducibility The applicability was demonstrated by analysis of 30 hemp food samples Cannabinoids were detected in all of the samples and it was possible to differentiate between drugtype and fibertype Cannabis sativa L In comparison with other studies relatively low THC concentrations between 001 and 1553 mg kg−1 were determined
Keywords: