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Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2025Chemistry Department Seminar: Comparisons of Terpenes in Cannabis Flowers via Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
The Chemistry Department is hosting a graduate student seminar on Thursday, April 17, during Bengal Pause (12:15 pm to 1:30 pm) in SAMC 151. Our speaker will be Grace Poleto, a graduate student in the forensic science master's program. Coffee and snacks will be served.
Title: Comparisons of Terpenes in Cannabis Flowers via Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Abstract
The increasing legalization of recreational cannabis across the United States has led to the establishment of cultivators, processors, and dispensaries offering a wide variety of cannabis products. In response, federal and state agencies have enacted policies and regulations mandating laboratory testing of commercial cannabis products. These tests include the quantification of specific cannabinoids, terpene profiling, and the detection of residual pesticides and heavy metals. Terpenes are volatile organic compounds found in cannabis and other plants that contribute to the plant’s aroma and play a role in its growth cycle [1]. In recent years, terpenes have gained attention for their potential to interact with cannabinoid receptors through the “entourage effect,” in which the combined action of terpenes and cannabinoids may enhance certain pharmacological effects [2]. This research project focuses on the identification and quantification of terpenes in four commercially available cannabis flower strains using gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), in addition to the effects of extraction solvents and extraction time on terpene concentrations. It was observed that the major terpenes and their concentrations varied across the different strains and were affected by the choice of extraction solvent. In addition, terpene concentrations decreased over longer extraction times, presumably due to chemical degradation.
References:
Fausett, A. (2020, May 26). Analysis of Terpene and Terpenoid Content in Cannabis Sativa Using Headspace with GC/MSD.
Ferber, S. G., Namdar, D., Hen-Shoval, D., Eger, G., Koltai, H., Shoval, G., Shbiro, L., & Weller, A. (2020). The “Entourage Effect”: Terpenes Coupled with Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Mood Disorders and Anxiety Disorders. Current Neuropharmacology, 18(2), 87–96.
