Analysis of THC Metabolites in Urine by GC/MS-Scan

User Benefits

- GC/MS-scan analysis can obtain mass spectral data, which improves the reliability of drug testing. - GC/MS-scan offers quantitative accuracy at ppb concentration levels sufficient for confirmation testing of initial screening results.

Introduction

Cannabis contains over 100 different cannabinoids. The main psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), affects the central nervous system causing symptoms such as hallucinations, pain relief, and sedation. Conversely, cannabidiol (CBD) has no hallucinatory effects, is not regulated in many countries, and is starting to be used in a variety of applications, including seizure medication, cosmetics, and supplements. Restrictions on cannabis are undergoing continuous reforms with some countries tightening restrictions and others relaxing them. In Japan, restrictions on cannabis for medical use are being relaxed, while laws were recently amended to tighten regulations on cannabis use and a portion of these laws went into effect in December 2024. Cannabis for recreational use is still prohibited in more than half of the countries in the world. The main restricted component of cannabis is Δ9-THC, which is metabolized in the body and principally excreted in urine and feces as the metabolites Δ9-OH-THC, Δ9-THC-COOH, and their glucuronide conjugates.1) Based on this, urine must be analyzed for these metabolites to prove cannabis use. Although LCMS/MS offers the advantage of relatively simple sample pretreatment and is the prevailing technique used to test for cannabis metabolites in urine, GC-MS methods can record the full mass spectrum, which can be used to confirm the initial screening results. This Application News describes the analysis of cannabis metabolites in urine using a GC/MS-scan method. GC/MS-scan analysis can identify cannabis metabolites at sub-ppb levels in urine. GC/MS-scan analysis also produces highly repeatable and consistent quantitative data with low intra-day variability.

March 4, 2025 GMT