Determination of variability of terpenes and terpenoids in Cannabis sativa by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Absolute content of terpenes in inflorescences of two strains of Cannabis sativa L., CAT 1 and CAT 3, has been determined. Twenty terpenes commonly present in these samples were quantified by solid phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography and flame ionization detection (SPME/GC-FID). High amounts of β-myrcene, α-pinene, β-pinene, limonene, (E)-β-ocimene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, (E)-nerolidol, and linalool, were found in both strains. Lower concentrations (< 20 µg·g−1) of other terpenes were also determined. Only (E)-β-ocimene was detected at 50 µg·g−1 in CAT 3 whereas it was below the LOD in CAT 1. Concentrations of other compounds for which standards were not available, were estimated based on a response factor obtained from the calibration curves of compounds with similar chemical structures. Fingerprints of both CAT strains were obtained and the identities of most volatile compounds were assigned using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer detector (GC–MS). Additionally, an assessment of variability of terpenes was achieved by analyzing ten plants of each strain grown under controlled conditions and harvested at the same time. This variability was about 20%, considering terpenes at concentration above 20 µg·g−1.