POSTER: Cannabinoid & Terpene Profiling of Cannabis by Solvent-Free Headspace Extraction and Thermal Desorption-GC-MS

Authors: Sage J. B. Dunham, Victoria L. Noad, Bailey S. Arakelian & Daniel B. Cardin

• The specific chemical composition of cannabis is responsible for the fragrance and flavor of the product, the experience of a recreational high, and the medicinal benefit. 
• In a phenomenon known as the “entourage effect”, evidence further suggests that compounds act synergistically to produce desirable pharmacological effects (Russo, 2011). 
• Here we describe the application of a solvent-free headspace extraction approach – vacuum assisted sorbent extraction (VASE) – in combination with thermal desorption GC-MS to study the makeup of cannabis flower. 
• Using this approach, we obtain chemical profiles for cannabinoids and terpenes with extraction times of less than 10 minutes and a total cycle time (raw plant material to results) of less than 1 hour.
• Our findings reveal the unique cannabinoid and terpene compositions of different cannabis strains and demonstrate the potential of VASE for cannabis analysis.