The Mass Appeal of Gas Generators for Cannabis Testing Labs.
The massive testing, quality assessment and detailed analysis of hundreds of varieties of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes is an unprecedented event in pharmacology.. In many states the demand for cannabis testing labs now exceeds the number of labs in operation.
Needless to say, lab competition has intensified, brutally. And this has sparked the unprecedented reinvention of the analytical laboratory and the application of mass spectrometry to fulfill the demand and maintain a sustainable, competitive advantage.
Today, the average cannabis testing lab must rise to the challenge of over 120 samples a day. This is make or break for the cannabis supply chain, because, without testing, state governments will not permit products to be offered for sale.
There is no stopping in cannabis testing. There is no room for downtime. Equipment must work and keep working at peak performance.
Fortunately, there’s an exciting surge in installations of gas generators in labs all around the country – instead of primitive cylinder tanks – that’s helping to prevent every lab manager’s worst nightmares: equipment failure, lab shutdown, and loss of revenue.
Cannabis labs are very complex and use a variety of equipment, which is either partially or completely dependent on a continuous flow of gas streams: hydrogen, nitrogen, zero-air, or dry-air. Without gas generators, a cannabis lab can lose peak performance, financial viability, and the abilityto sustain itself.
The first and most common piece of equipment is High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) potency testing for THC and CBD. The advantage of HPLC is that it can test THCA for substances that are often undetectable by other processes, such as GCMS and GCFID (see below).
But HPLC poses a technological challenge. Without a mass spec, HPLC does not offer the same level of detail to identify individual cannabinoids or provide the testing versatility of other instruments, such as LCMS and GCMS. So HPLC testing without a gas generator is somewhat handicapped.
Instead, many labs meet today’s challenges of cannabis testing by using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spec (LCMS). LCMS is extremely versatile and provides an unusually high level of accuracy and detail for testing cannabis samples. LCMS can also be used for pesticide screening, mycotoxins, and potency testing. It can test THCA levels.
LCMS is more expensive than HLPC because it must always be yoked to a mass spec system, with all supportive ancillaries. LCMS cannot function without a reliable source of nitrogen, zero air and dry air. LCMS is also slower and requires more sample preparation than other equipment, particularly Gas Chromatography Mass Spec, or GCMS.
GCMS provides a high level of detail, versatility and speed for cannabis testing. GCMS is frequently used for potency testing of cannabis products that are intended to be smoked or cooked because the injector heat converts THCA to THC in the same way as smoking. This is also true for GC-FID (gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection).
Both GCMS and GC-FID methods for potency are generally faster than both HPLC and LCMS. GCMS is, in fact, the preferred method for testing for and identifying volatile pesticides, residual solvents, and terpenoids.
Regardless of what equipment dominates your cannabis testing lab, it all depends, on a continuous stream of gas. Indeed, the entire industry is riding on the latest advances in gas generator technology. So, it’s important that you stay on top of all new developments.
Start by doing a thorough and on-going assessment of your lab: How dependent are you on the growing need for gas generation? Do you have the confidence that your gas stream is enough and will never let up? Do you have the simple reassurance of a professionally designed equipment protection plan suited to your specific needs? One that will let you handle all contingencies quickly and affordably, with replacement parts available should something go wrong?
Today’s cannabis laboratories are testing more than just the potency and purity of plant varieties. They’re also testing the skills – and the nerves – of every lab technician working there.
But there’s no need to have a breakdown. We can help you tackle any reliability issues and reduce some of the stress of current demand. Call us at 800-738-1698 or drop us a line at info@gasgeneratorsolutions.com. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
As the national’s leading independent lab gas generator service & maintenance specialist, we can give you the objective advice and guidance you need when considering the right equipment protection plan to keep your cannabis lab from going to pot.