Quality control is imperative for Cannabis since the primary cannabinoids, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), elicit very different pharmacological effects. THC/CBD ratios are currently determined by techniques not readily accessible by consumers or dispensaries and which are impractical for use in the field by law-enforcement agencies. CuPc- and F16-CuPc-based organic thin-film transistors have been combined with a cannabinoid-sensitive chromophore for the detection and differentiation of THC and CBD. The combined use of these well-characterized and inexpensive p- and n-type materials afforded the determination of the CBD/THC ratio from rapid plant extracts, with results indistinguishable from high-pressure liquid chromatography. Analysis of the prepyrolyzed sample accurately predicted postpyrolysis THC/CBD, which ultimately influences the psychotropic and medicinal effects of the specific plant. The devices were also capable of vapor-phase sensing, producing a unique electrical output for THC and CBD relative to other potentially interfering vaporized organic products. The analysis of complex medicinal plant extracts and vapors, normally reserved for advanced analytical infrastructure, can be achieved with ease, at low cost, and on the spot, using organic thin-film transistors.

Quantification of major cannabinoids in cannabis products is normally performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based methods. We propose a cost-effective alternative method that successfully separates and quantifies 14 cannabinoids in a single run using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with a UV detector in 18 min. The separation is carried out in 60% acetonitrile in the presence of 6.5 mM sodium hydroxide and 25 µM β-cyclodextrin, resulting in good separation of cannabinoids. Our CE method demonstrated the limit of detection between 1.2–1.8 µg/mL, with the linear range reaching up to 50 µg/mL. We validated the method performance by testing a plant extract and quantifying cannabinoid content. This method is the first to separate 14 cannabinoids in one run using a CE system with UV detection.

The legalization of cannabis has magnified the importance of determining the quantity and identification of cannabinoids. Both industry and consumers are highly interested in the content of cannabinoids available in their products, while health care professionals and regulators are concerned with the safety of cannabis. Quantification of major cannabinoids in products answers some of these concerns. Currently, popular methods of quantifying cannabinoids use high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Still, these HPLC methods are limited to quantifying a small number of cannabinoids unless more powerful but more costly instruments are employed to achieve better analysis, such as UHPLC and mass spectrometry. We propose a quick method that successfully separates and quantifies 14 cannabinoids in a single run using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with a UV detector in 25 minutes. Our CE method demonstrated the limit of detection between 1.2–1.8 µg/mL, with the detection range reaching up to 50 µg/mL.