Analysis of US Quarters for Contamination of Cannabis Compounds
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Start Date
4-12-2019 11:15 AM
End Date
4-12-2019 12:15 PM
Abstract
Legalization of marijuana for medical and recreation use is occurring throughout the United States. This suggests that there will be increasing amounts of contamination of common items such as paper and coin currency with the chemical components of marijuana otherwise known as cannabis. To explore this hypothesis, we obtained a batch of US quarters that has the apparent residual contamination of cannabis. In this research, we plan to develop a method for analysis of cannabis standards, cannabinol, delta-9-THC and cannabidiol, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We will test a batch of contaminated quarters versus a control batch of uncontaminated quarters. The method will include extraction of organic soluble materials from each quarter in each batch using methanol. If contamination of the quarters with cannabis is found, we will quantitatively determine the amount using a calibration curve of the standards.
Identify Grant
Undergraduate Research
Faculty / Staff Sponsor
John R. Sowa
Analysis of US Quarters for Contamination of Cannabis Compounds
Legalization of marijuana for medical and recreation use is occurring throughout the United States. This suggests that there will be increasing amounts of contamination of common items such as paper and coin currency with the chemical components of marijuana otherwise known as cannabis. To explore this hypothesis, we obtained a batch of US quarters that has the apparent residual contamination of cannabis. In this research, we plan to develop a method for analysis of cannabis standards, cannabinol, delta-9-THC and cannabidiol, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We will test a batch of contaminated quarters versus a control batch of uncontaminated quarters. The method will include extraction of organic soluble materials from each quarter in each batch using methanol. If contamination of the quarters with cannabis is found, we will quantitatively determine the amount using a calibration curve of the standards.