Pesticide Instrumentation

Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is a powerful analytical technique used in cannabis testing to separate and identify compounds within complex mixtures. In LC/MS/MS, the process begins with liquid chromatography, where the sample is injected into a liquid mobile phase, typically a solvent, and passed through a chromatographic column. The compounds in the sample interact differently with the stationary phase in the column, causing them to separate based on their chemical properties such as size, polarity, and affinity for the stationary phase.

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Once separated, the compounds elute from the chromatographic column and enter the mass spectrometer. In the mass spectrometer, the compounds are ionized, typically by electron spray or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, producing charged ions. These ions are then accelerated into a mass analyzer, which separates them based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). This separation occurs in the first quadrupole of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer.

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In the triple quadrupole configuration, the first quadrupole acts as a mass filter, allowing only ions of a specific mass-to-charge ratio to pass through to the second quadrupole. In the second quadrupole, the selected ions are subjected to collision-induced dissociation (CID) or another fragmentation technique, resulting in the ions breaking into smaller fragments. These fragments are then analyzed in the third quadrupole, where specific ions representing characteristic fragments of the target compounds are detected.

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By selectively isolating and fragmenting ions of interest, LC/MS/MS provides highly sensitive and specific detection of compounds, even in complex matrices like cannabis extracts. This technique is particularly useful for quantifying trace levels of cannabinoids, terpenes, pesticides, and other contaminants in cannabis products, ensuring product safety and regulatory compliance.