Determination of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol by Voltammetry using Low-Cost Screen-Printed Electrodic Platforms: A Significant Potential for Application in Clinical and Forensic Fields

Abstract

Cannabis sativa has been utilized for centuries due to its psychoactive and therapeutic effects resulting from the presence of cannabinoids, which are exclusively found in plants of the Cannabis genus. The methods currently used by law enforcement and pharmaceutical industries to detect and measure cannabinoids include colorimetric testing, as well as instrumental methods such as HPLC and GC-MS. The aim of this work is to create a new method that can overcome the limitations of existing methods. To achieve this goal, a voltammetric method was developed using CV and LSV techniques. The method used a 3D-printed electrodic platform that was chemically modified with carbon paste and silver ink. The developed electrode was successful in detecting and measuring the amounts of Δ9-THC and CBD. The analytical parameters and average concentrations obtained were similar to those of popular commercial electrodes such as the platinum disk electrode and SPPE. The values for the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were in the range of µmol L-1. The developed method and electrode show promise for detecting and quantifying Δ9-THC and CBD. The method was compared to the GC-MS technique, yielding relative error values ranging from 2.27% to 18.66%. A miniaturized, portable, versatile, and cost-effective method was developed with significant potential for clinical and forensic applications.