What level of testing do you do? or provide? THC/CBD/others? Terpenes?
Does anyone have their own in-house testing capacity?
Does anyone use portable or field testing equipment for potency etc? eg
4 Likes
I’ve heard these MyCDX units have a quite large margin of error. I wouldn’t use it’s readings as gospel, but possibly as a guide for relative cannabinoid levels for your different strains as they mature. Could indicate low or high levels, which then would warrant you ditching or keeping a strain, growing methodology, etc…
4 Likes
Yes they seem a bit light for any retail or final product - I was thinking they may be a useful element in the field to be able to test for terpenes etc. I notice they don’t seem to measure CBD very well either. The low cost point is attractive and the smartphone application for field work - but it may be better to look at something more substantial?
Are there any other alternatives people have experienced? In hand held style? Or smaller base styles? Or lab equipment?
Theoretically you could use portable GC/MS (Gas chromatrography/Mass Spectroscopy) devices, but you’d need to know how to use them and read them. They wouldn’t be for your average Joe Blow. The smallest I’ve heard of are briefcase sized, and they aren’t cheap.
More conventional GC/MS machines are cheaper… but still expensive. But GC-MS are the standard method for determining chemical compositions in laboratories.
1 Like
They are most definitely not cheap. (one of the reasons the smartphone units are appealing for field work)
So then for the different THC/CBG/CBN etc + Terpenes - the best choice would probably be a conventional GC/MS unit in a small lab - what would be the learning curve on those?
1 Like
There are GC-MS specific training courses. I’m not sure how long those run, tbh. I got my experience with a chemistry minor in college. There are 3 main difficulties with GC-MS:
- Sample preparation – how to prepare the right kind of sample for the machine.
- Interpreting charts generated by the machine - These charts often give data that is meaningless to someone who isn’t trained in what it means.
- Maintaining the GC-MS machine. These things are sensitive and can easily go awry.
This is why GC-MS services are typically so expensive. It requires a lot of education.
2 Likes
So for simple work it’s looking like a CDX would be useful but to go for a proper onsite testing lab we might be better to add a chemist to the team… They could probably run the extracts lab as well then…
2 Likes
Yep! The extractions most companies are performing are actually relatively simple (I can do them, and I only have a minor in chem), and most chemists should be able to do them without many issues.
1 Like
While I appreciate the offer… I have to politely decline. 
1 Like
Well I will just have to keep tapping your brain for free in this forum then… 
1 Like
Has anyone seen this one? (@Hunter?) At $5k it seems like a pretty good opportunity - although I imagine it is maybe not as great as at $30k model - maybe it is accurate enough at least with a small margin of error?
2 Likes
@nathan I took a look at their YouTube video to check if it’s legit.
So… my thought is that it is legit. It does work, and it’ll be more accurate than what you posted in the original post.
That said… it’s definitely not a modern GC. Modern GCs can run much faster and process multiple samples at once. This should in theory work if you stick to the steps laid out and keep the area in the lab a tight ship. That said, looks like it takes around 5 to 6 minutes to give you a result, which is pretty slow for modern GCs. I also have no clue as to how difficult it is to maintain or its reliability.
3 Likes
Another testing option, using near-infrared spectroscopy:
Has any used any of their products?
2 Likes
That looks very interesting for a field unit.
What would be the best ultimately to test for the wide range of cannabinoids, terpenes, as well as for mold and/or pesticides? etc.
1 Like
This looks like an interesting unit.
http://terpenesandtesting.com/2017/02/14/lab-tech-review-sri-8510c-capable-gas-chromatograph/
2 Likes
Hi Nick & Co,
Thanks for welcoming us to the forum! Our unit is definitely good for a field testing device and to test for potency of THC, THC-A, CBD, CBD-A. We also give Delta 9 results. We use NIR (near-infrared) spectroscopy, so the sample does not get destroyed since we are only using light. You can test a lot of product very quickly, as each test only takes 10 seconds and sample prep is minimal. We also can test both cured flower and concentrates as long as they are not cut with anything.
To my knowledge, there is nothing out on the market that is D.I.Y that will test potency, terpenes, molds, pesticides and residual solvents. You still need to go to a lab to get that information. I would be happy to give a free demo of our device to anyone that is interested, so please reach out if you are. Thanks!~
4 Likes
I saw something on @sageanalytics and was impressed. It looks like the ideal solution for in house testing IMO. My wishlist would be an inhouse testing device that can determine plant sex. Phylos Bioscience provides a mail in kit where you send in the cotyledon leaf, but I dont feel the cost is where it should be at $15 per plant. It should cost less than growing the plants out.
3 Likes
I’ve looked at the MyCDX units also. As a distributor, I’ve found that many of our cultivators do not attain a test. As part of our practice, we attain test results of any material we take. It helps us market the material to other collective members. We then provide the test results to the cultivator for their own records. The patients want test results.
2 Likes