Patricia Atkins is a Senior Applications Scientist with SPEX CertiPrep and a member of both the AOAC and ASTM committees for cannabis.
May 09, 2024
In the latest installment of this series, Atkins examines techniques utilized for testing microbiological pathogens, along with the role and mechanisms of cell culture techniques including its strong points and limitations for testing cannabis products.
February 24, 2024
A look at the advocacy and guidance conducted by the ACIL within the cannabis industry.
September 27, 2023
A look at why understanding the conditions in which microorganisms thrive, grow, and multiply is important in both controlling microbial growth and optimizing for microbial testing.
June 20, 2023
In part I of this series, we start the discussion on the important microbiological targets for the cannabis market and understand their significance as a threat to health and safety.
April 07, 2023
In this installment, we finish our discussion of energy and elements used in atomic spectroscopy by examining an important analytical technique: inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS).
February 01, 2023
Here we continue the discussion of energy and elements used in atomic spectroscopy by looking at one of the most commonly used analytical techniques in the elemental analytical laboratory—inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).
September 07, 2022
In this column, we attempt to explore in depth the theory and methodology of our common laboratory techniques and show how an understanding of interworking of those techniques allow for more flexibility in analysis.
June 02, 2022
Let’s investigate the differences between the commercially available detector in terms of sample type, size, and selectivity to understand which detectors fit into the most common types of cannabis GC analyses.
April 06, 2022
Let’s try to understand the functioning and chemistry of GC columns and how to change and manipulate the resolution equation and column chemistry to maximize our own analyses.
February 08, 2022
Understand the function and chemistry of GC systems and how to adapt that function and methodology to our own analyses.