Comprehensive Determination of Unregulated Pesticide Residues in Oregon Cannabis Flower by Liquid Chromatography Paired with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography Paired with Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

A comprehensive multiresidue pesticide analysis for Cannabis flower matrices using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation, liquid chromatography paired with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and gas chromatography paired with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was established and validated for 367 pesticides with excellent recoveries (70-120%) for over 99% of analytes included. This research demonstrates the viability of pesticide testing in Cannabis, with a wide scope of analysis mirroring the methodology used in food and crop analyses of pesticides worldwide, with tools most analytical laboratories possess. The method developed here was then applied to Cannabis flower samples from Oregon, and results were compared to existing state pesticide regulations. A total of 4 of these 100 samples analyzed contained pesticides unregulated in Oregon, while 3 samples contained regulated pesticides significantly above the regulated action levels of Oregon. These results suggest a need for more complete testing regulations surrounding Cannabis and highlight possible deficiencies in quality control and oversight among independent testing laboratories in states with mandatory Cannabis testing.