Mass Spectrometry

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).

This article investigates the chiral method development screening for the enantiomeric separation of synthetic CBD on polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases with both normal-phase and reversed phase mobile phases, using HPLC and UHPLC.

Let’s take a deeper look into GC instrumentation.

What is the overall scope of spectroscopy and how can it be used as a tool to improve analyses?

This work describes an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of various heavy metals in cannabis sativa plant material.

Well-established techniques used by the food safety industry, such as QuEChERS sample preparation followed by LC–MS/MS for the analysis of multiresidue pesticides, are evaluated for use with cannabis plant material.

Compact mass spectrometry, in combination with suitable sample introduction techniques-such as the atmospheric solids analysis probe, thin-layer chromatography, and classical liquid chromatography techniques-can be used effectively for the detection and quantification of cannabinoids and pesticides in cannabis-related material and contraband.

An investigation of C18 and phenyl-hexyl column chemistries for definitive identification of 13 synthetic cannabinoid metabolites in patient samples.

Other techniques for monitoring cannabinoids, such as GC–MS and LC–MS, are limited to screening known species and are therefore always one step behind the designer drug market-where new, previously unknown variations of analogs of cannabinoids are constantly being synthesized. The method presented here addresses this problem by providing accurate masses for all detected species, thus allowing postanalysis identification of initially untargeted compounds.

Giuseppe Cannazza and Cinzia Citti from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia discuss the growing interest in the use of medicinal cannabis in Europe and the analytical challenges involved.