HPLC-DAD method development and validation for the quantification of CBD, CBDA, Δ9-THC AND Δ9-THCA in Cannabis-based products.
Julie Massi Magalhães Figueiredo, Alan Reinke Pereira, João Victor Macedo De Almeidados, Nathália Dos Santos Conceição, Hildegardo Seibert França, Ricardo Machado Kuster, Vitor Cezar Broetto Pegoretti, Wanderson Romão, Nayara Araujo Dos Santos
Forensic Science International July 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2026.112930 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Method development and validation study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cannabis oil and Cannabis plant material samples |
| Measures | HPLC-DAD |
| Topics | Cannabis CBD |
| Keywords | Cannabinoids Liquid chromatography Quality control |
| Key points | The validated HPLC-DAD method met guideline criteria for selectivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy, with recovery of 81.2–107.9% in oil and 80.3–107.7% in plant material and detection limits of 0.0258–0.2043 µg mL-1. Applied to three samples, it identified one CBD-rich oil and two Δ9-THC/Δ9-THCA-predominant samples, indicating suitability for quality control of Cannabis-based products. |
Abstract
The therapeutic use of Cannabis has significantly expanded in recent years, increasing the demand for robust, accessible, and reliable analytical methods capable of ensuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of the plant-derived products. In this context, the present study aimed to develop and validate a chromatographic method using HPLC-DAD for the identification and quantification of four cannabinoids (CBD, CBDA, Δ9-THC, and Δ9-THCA) in different matrices - oil and marijuana. Method validation confirmed its selectivity, linearity, precision, and accuracy, in accordance with the criteria established by applicable guidelines. Recovery values ranged from 81.2% to 107.9% for oil samples and from 80.3% to 107.7% for Cannabis plant material. Limits of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.0258 µg mL-1 to 0.2043 µg mL-1, while limits of quantification (LOQ) varied from 0.0851 µg mL-1 to 0.6744 µg mL-1. Intermediate precision ranged from 2.5% to 7.8% for oil and from 6.0% to 10.9% for Cannabis plant material. Repeatability ranged from 2.7% to 9.4% for oil, and from 5.5% to 9.1% for Cannabis plant material. The developed method was successfully applied to three samples, enabling the identification of one CBD-rich oil and two Δ9-THC/Δ9-THCA-predominant samples, one oil and one plant material. The results demonstrate that the method is suitable for quality control of Cannabis-based products and can be effectively applied to both oil and plant-based matrices.