NIST chemist Brent Wilson produces standards with consistent particle size by passing crushed hemp through a sieve.
Credit: NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) now sells hemp standards to help laboratories accurately measure key components in cannabis plant products. This helps law enforcement accurately distinguish between hemp and marijuana, and helps manufacturers and regulators ensure the safety and accurate labeling of cannabis products.
Both hemp and marijuana are derived from the cannabis plant. Prior to 2018, all cannabis plant material or products were federally regulated substances. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and defined it as cannabis material with a total THC content of 0.3% or less. Cannabis with a total THC content above that amount is considered marijuana and remains a controlled substance under federal law.
This means that to determine whether a substance is a controlled substance, a laboratory must measure the amount of total THC in the substance. However, recent studies, including those by NIST researchers, show that THC measurements shown on product labels are not consistently reliable and can pose significant safety and regulatory challenges. It turns out that there is.
NIST's new hemp material helps solve this problem by serving as a reference material, the material that laboratories use to ensure the accuracy of their measurements.
Hemp standards for accurate cannabis measurements
NIST's new hemp reference material will help laboratories accurately measure the amount of THC in cannabis plant material. This helps forensic laboratories accurately distinguish between hemp, which is legal in all 50 states, and marijuana, which is a controlled substance. It also supports accurate labeling of cannabis products and protects consumer health and safety.
The NIST Hemp Plant Reference Material (RM 8210) contains precise total amounts of THC, CBD (a non-intoxicating compound with purported health benefits), and several toxic elements sometimes found in agricultural products, as well as their respective deficiencies. An information sheet is included that lists certainty estimates.
To ensure that the measurement method is working properly, laboratories can analyze some of this material. If those numbers match the NIST numbers within tolerance, all is well. If not, you'll know you need to recalibrate your equipment or troubleshoot your method.
“If a farmer's crop or a company's product turns out to be a 'hot' substance, it could be confiscated or destroyed, so it's important to make the right decisions.” said Walter Brent Wilson, one of the NIST chemists who did the research. Reference material. Grown as an agricultural crop, hemp is often used to make textiles, paper, and food.
Although this reference material is composed of hemp, laboratories can use it to verify measurements of both hemp and marijuana, allowing companies in the burgeoning cannabis industry and state regulators to test cannabis products. Helps ensure safety and accurate labeling.
“If you buy a product that claims to have 25 milligrams of CBD per serving, you should trust that number,” says Colleen Bryan, a biologist at NIST who is also part of the reference material development team.
NIST's materials also include measurements of arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium, and other toxic elements tested in many agricultural products.
“People who use cannabis for medical reasons may be particularly concerned about safety,” Brian says. “This reference will help them ensure that the cannabis they purchase does not contain dangerous levels of toxic ingredients.”
NIST SRM 8210: Hemp Plants
Credit: Lane Sander
The NIST hemp reference material also includes moisture content measurements. This is important because it helps laboratories accurately report the amount of THC and other substances on a dry weight basis. On a dry weight basis, most regulatory values are defined this way.
Finally, new material from NIST will help researchers studying the health and other effects of cannabis accurately measure doses used in studies. This allows researchers to more easily compare results across studies.
Reference materials are always used in the laboratory. NIST has manufactured more than 1,000 of them. Reference materials such as peanut butter, spinach, and infant formula are used to ensure food safety and accurate nutritional labeling. We use NIST standards for cholesterol, glucose, vitamin D, and more, so you can trust your blood test results. Environmental pollutants, atmospheric gases, building materials, the list goes on and on.
NIST hemp reference material was made from commercially purchased dried hemp. To make this, NIST researchers milled hemp, sieved it to achieve a consistent particle size, and added small amounts of low-THC material to it to achieve a total THC concentration just below the legal threshold. They were blended and the amounts of the various ingredients were measured. Very high precision and accuracy. Finally, NIST statisticians analyzed the measurements to estimate the uncertainty value for each measurement.
Each unit of material contains three packets of 1.5 grams each of ground hemp, some of the most carefully quantified cannabis ever sold.
In addition to cannabis plant standards, NIST is leading multi-laboratory research aimed at helping laboratories achieve accurate cannabis measurements. Additionally, with funding from the National Institute of Justice, NIST is developing improved laboratory methods to measure THC and other cannabinoids and studying the feasibility of accurate THC breathalyzers. Masu.
