Cannabis Heavy Metal Analysis
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Eurofins Experchem ensures cannabis products quality and safety with heavy metal testing
Cannabis plants can absorb heavy metals from the soil and uptake of water. Some elements are toxic when consumed and pose health risks. Testing for elemental impurities (heavy metal testing) is required under the cannabis regulations for fresh, dried, and oil-based cannabis products.
The standard test includes four main elements
Even at low levels, arsenic is highly toxic. Long-term exposure in drinking water is linked to skin cancers, hyperkeratosis, and pigmentation issues. In high amounts, it causes a sudden drop in blood pressure, vomiting, and, ultimately, death.
This heavy metal, a byproduct of zinc production, is widely used in manufacturing and is considered carcinogenic by health regulators. It can result in kidney failure, bone density loss, and negatively affects the neurological, reproductive, renal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems.
Inhalation of mercury, especially through smoking, is more harmful than ingestion due to efficient lung absorption. Mercury poisoning can lead to neurological damage, causing tremors, seizures, memory problems, and motor control issues.
Puncturing can, transferring sample into secondary container, degassing and weighingsample (~ 1g ) into volumetric flask à suitable for most liquid aerosols (water-based oralcohol-based sunscreens, air freasheners, other other not highly volatile products,some gels and some stable mousse products.
We can also test for any other elements of interest. Eurofins Experchem has state-of-the-art ICP-OES and ICP-MS instrumentation for heavy metal testing and we use a verified EP method.
Tolerance limits
The toxicity of heavy metals varies by exposure route (e.g., inhalation or ingestion). Tolerance limits for heavy metals differ for orally ingested and inhaled products. In the case of smoked or vaped dried cannabis, heavy metals can become part of the inhaled smoke or vapor, making inhaled limits more appropriate to reduce health risks. For example, the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur. 5.20) provides tolerance limits for inhaled heavy metals, which are more suitable for smoked or vaped dried cannabis products. Oral limits are not suitable for these products.
All license holders must meet these tolerance limits. Following industry best practices, license holders may take preventive measures, such as testing cultivation inputs (e.g., fertilizers, growing media, soil, and water), to reduce the risk of heavy metal contamination in cannabis.
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