The evaluation of pesticide exposure in cannabis using advanced analytical techniques: A review

Abstract

Cannabis has received a lot of consideration in the last few years due to an increase in the number of countries that have legalized it for both recreational and medical purposes. The quality control checks and techniques for characterizing cannabis products have grown enormously along with the growing demand for safer cannabis cultivation as well as its safer products. Pesticide residue analysis in cannabis has gained increasing attention in recent years. Cannabis products should be tested for authorised and unauthorised pesticides to meet regulatory and quality control standards. This manuscript overviews Liquid-liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction, and QuEChERS sample preparation and clean-up procedures for pesticide extraction in cannabis products while mass spectrometry techniques are utilized for crucial identification and quantification. In this study, the benefits and drawbacks of the various analytical techniques utilized for pesticide residue analysis in cannabis and its products are assessed. Future directions and difficulties are also considered. Graphical Abstract: A schematic representation of the process for the Analysis of pesticides in cannabis and its products using mass spectrometry techniques