ERIC Number: EJ1443536
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Mar
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: EISSN-1938-1328
Available Date: N/A
Gas Chromatography--Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Cannabis: Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Exercise
Hailey N. Lynch; Claire Chaz Authement; Autumn Maczko; Miranda Parker; Kaylan Beaty; Anuradha Liyana Pathiranage
Journal of Chemical Education, v100 n3 p1303-1312 2023
In this laboratory teaching experiment, commercial cannabis oils were analyzed by undergraduate organic chemistry students using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to investigate three isomeric cannabinoids commonly found in cannabis products: cannabidiol (CBD), [delta][superscript 9]-tetrahydrocannabinol ([delta][superscript 9]-THC), and [delta][superscript 8]-tetrahydrocannabinol ([delta][superscript 8]-THC). The goal was to introduce GC-MS analysis through the relevant topic of product quality inspection, frequently used in various industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc. and which largely involves analyzing the chemical components of a sample. First, to better understand the cannabinoid analytes, students were taught the differences between these structural isomers, including bond locations, stereochemistry, and functional groups--factors which pertain to their pharmacology and drug classification. Finally, students were guided through the basics of GC-MS instrumentation and the process of analyzing GC-MS spectra through the characterization of CBD, [delta][superscript 8]-THC, and [delta][superscript 9]-THC present in oil samples.
Descriptors: Spectroscopy, Marijuana, Undergraduate Students, Undergraduate Study, Organic Chemistry, College Science, Science Laboratories, Scientific Concepts, Science Experiments
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A