| Title | Enhanced quantification of 64 pesticides in cannabis-derived oil by isotope-dilution LC-MRM-MS at regulatory decision thresholds |
| Authors | Raymond T. Suhandynata, PhD; Jiaxi Cai; Benjamin J. Spiegel; Thomas D. Marcotte, PhD; Igor Grant, MD; Robert L. Fitzgerald, PhD; Jeremiah D. Momper, PharmD, PhD |
| Year | 2026 |
| Journal | Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry |
Raymond Suhandynata, PhD, Associate Director, and Jeremiah Momper, PharmD, PhD, Director, of the CMCR Reference Laboratory, along with other CMCR researchers, collaborated on a new study developing and validating an analytical approach for robustly quantifying residual pesticides in cannabis-derived hemp oil.
As regulated cannabis markets expand, pesticide testing plays an important role in product release, regulatory compliance, and public health protection. However, regulatory decisions often depend on measurements made near action limits, where analytical uncertainty can affect whether a product is considered compliant. Cannabis oils are especially challenging to test because their complex composition, including lipids, cannabinoids, terpenes, and other co-extracted compounds, can interfere with accurate pesticide quantification.
The study describes a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method capable of simultaneously measuring 64 pesticides through the use of extensive stable isotope-labeled internal standards to improve quantitative accuracy.
A key conclusion of the study is that pesticide testing methods should not only detect regulated compounds, but also provide reliable and interpretable quantitative results at regulatory decision-making thresholds. By combining isotope dilution, chromatographic separation, surrogate internal-standard benchmarking, and measurement-uncertainty analysis, this work provides a rigorous analytical framework for supporting defensible regulatory determinations in cannabis pesticide testing.
Overall, the study strengthens the analytical foundation for pesticide quantification in cannabis-derived oils and highlights the importance of robust analytical measurements when laboratory results are used to guide product compliance, enforcement decisions, and confidence in the legal cannabis marketplace.
Read the full manuscript here.
Citation: Suhandynata RT, Cai J, Spiegel BJ, Marcotte TD, Grant I, Fitzgerald RL, Momper JD. Enhanced quantification of 64 pesticides in cannabis-derived oil by isotope-dilution LC-MRM-MS at regulatory decision thresholds. Anal Bioanal Chem. Published online July 18, 2026. doi:10.1007/s00216-026-06661-5. PMID: 42470463.