Application of chromatographic methods for quality control of cannabinoid impurities in products containing Cannabidiol

Strict quality control of impurities in legitimate cannabidiol products and in cannabis “novel foods” is necessary due to the increased health risks from side effects associated with these impurities. The purpose of the present study is to summarize the most common impurities found in cannabidiol products, the factors that contribute to their elevated content, and the application of chromatographic methods for quality control. Light, temperature, oxidation, acidic medium, and especially their combined effects are critical in contamination with impurities. The most common impurities include delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol, cannabichromene, cannabidivarin, cannabigerol, cannabiquinone, tetrahydrocannabidivarin, cannabidiolic acid, cannabigerolic acid, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. For the separation and determination of permissible levels of impurities in commercial cannabidiol products, HPLC and GC methods are appropriate and reliable for enhancing quality control, as they provide high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. The most widely used techniques are HPLC-UV, HPLC-UV-PDA, HPLC-MS, HPLC-MS/MS, UHPLC-UV, UHPLC-UV-PDA, UHPLC-MS, UHPLC-MS/MS, UHPSFC, GC-MS, and GC-FID.