CHROMtalks - Developing GC- and GCxGC-MS Methods for Detailed Chemical Profiling of Cannabis Plants

The complex phytochemistry of cannabis inflorescences - rich in bioactive terpenes, terpenoids, and cannabinoids - requires advanced analytical methods for comprehensive profiling. Two distinct extraction methodologies were developed and rigorously optimized. First, stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) was applied to preconcentrate a broad range of metabolites. Optimization of SBSE parameters - extraction time, temperature, solvent, and salt addition - was conducted to maximize analyte coverage and reproducibility across diverse chemical classes, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, cannabinoids, and fatty acids. Second, dynamic headspace (DHS) was optimized for its sensitivity and versatility, particularly for terpene and terpenoid profiling. Under optimized conditions, both approaches, coupled with GC×GC-MS, enabled detailed phytochemical characterization of cannabis, supporting applications such as chemovar differentiation, quality control, and contaminant detection.