High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method
Abstract Background As Cannabis was legalised in Canada for recreational use in 2018 with the implementation of the Cannabis Act, Regulations were put in place to ensure safety and consistency across the cannabis industry. This includes the requirement for licence holders to demonstrate that no unau...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Cannabis Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-023-00200-0 |
| _version_ | 1797451608367300608 |
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| author | Mathieu Gagnon Tyler McRitchie Kim Montsion Josée Tully Michel Blais Neil Snider David R. Blais |
| author_facet | Mathieu Gagnon Tyler McRitchie Kim Montsion Josée Tully Michel Blais Neil Snider David R. Blais |
| author_sort | Mathieu Gagnon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background As Cannabis was legalised in Canada for recreational use in 2018 with the implementation of the Cannabis Act, Regulations were put in place to ensure safety and consistency across the cannabis industry. This includes the requirement for licence holders to demonstrate that no unauthorized pesticides are used to treat cannabis or have contaminated it. In this study, we describe an expanded 327 multi-residue pesticide analysis in cannabis inflorescence to confirm if the implementation of the Cannabis Act is providing safer licensed products to Canadians in comparison to those of the illicit market. Methods An extensive multi-residue method was developed using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method using a combination of gas chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) and liquid chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for the simultaneous quantification of 327 pesticide active ingredients in cannabis inflorescence. Results Application of this method to Canadian licensed inflorescence samples revealed a 6% sample positivity rate with only two pesticide residues detected, myclobutanil, and dichlobenil, at the method’s lowest calibrated level (LCL) of 0.01 μg/g. Canadian illicit cannabis inflorescence samples analysed showed a striking contrast with a 92% sample positivity rate covering 23 unique pesticide active ingredients with 3.7 different pesticides identified on average per sample. Chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, and myclobutanil were measured in illicit samples at concentrations up to three orders of magnitude above the method LCL of 0.01 μg/g. Conclusion These results demonstrate the need of an extensive multiresidue method capable of analysing hundreds of pesticides simultaneously, to generate data for future policy and regulatory decision-making, and to enable Canadians to make safe cannabis choices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:57:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-62eec19ed60d4c03b820316c784cd023 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2522-5782 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:57:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Cannabis Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-62eec19ed60d4c03b820316c784cd0232023-11-26T14:07:35ZengBMCJournal of Cannabis Research2522-57822023-08-01511710.1186/s42238-023-00200-0High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue methodMathieu Gagnon0Tyler McRitchie1Kim Montsion2Josée Tully3Michel Blais4Neil Snider5David R. Blais6Pesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaPesticide Laboratory, Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch, Health CanadaAbstract Background As Cannabis was legalised in Canada for recreational use in 2018 with the implementation of the Cannabis Act, Regulations were put in place to ensure safety and consistency across the cannabis industry. This includes the requirement for licence holders to demonstrate that no unauthorized pesticides are used to treat cannabis or have contaminated it. In this study, we describe an expanded 327 multi-residue pesticide analysis in cannabis inflorescence to confirm if the implementation of the Cannabis Act is providing safer licensed products to Canadians in comparison to those of the illicit market. Methods An extensive multi-residue method was developed using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method using a combination of gas chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) and liquid chromatography—triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for the simultaneous quantification of 327 pesticide active ingredients in cannabis inflorescence. Results Application of this method to Canadian licensed inflorescence samples revealed a 6% sample positivity rate with only two pesticide residues detected, myclobutanil, and dichlobenil, at the method’s lowest calibrated level (LCL) of 0.01 μg/g. Canadian illicit cannabis inflorescence samples analysed showed a striking contrast with a 92% sample positivity rate covering 23 unique pesticide active ingredients with 3.7 different pesticides identified on average per sample. Chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, and myclobutanil were measured in illicit samples at concentrations up to three orders of magnitude above the method LCL of 0.01 μg/g. Conclusion These results demonstrate the need of an extensive multiresidue method capable of analysing hundreds of pesticides simultaneously, to generate data for future policy and regulatory decision-making, and to enable Canadians to make safe cannabis choices.https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-023-00200-0QuEChERSGas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometryLiquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometryCannabis inflorescencePesticidesLicensed versus Illicit |
| spellingShingle | Mathieu Gagnon Tyler McRitchie Kim Montsion Josée Tully Michel Blais Neil Snider David R. Blais High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method Journal of Cannabis Research QuEChERS Gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry Liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry Cannabis inflorescence Pesticides Licensed versus Illicit |
| title | High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| title_full | High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| title_fullStr | High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| title_full_unstemmed | High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| title_short | High levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in Canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| title_sort | high levels of pesticides found in illicit cannabis inflorescence compared to licensed samples in canadian study using expanded 327 pesticides multiresidue method |
| topic | QuEChERS Gas chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry Liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry Cannabis inflorescence Pesticides Licensed versus Illicit |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-023-00200-0 |
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