The Challenges of Measuring Elemental Contaminants in Cannabis Vaping Aerosols

Description:
There has been a great deal of interest in monitoring heavy metals in electronic cannabis delivery systems (ECDS) since it was first reported that at elevated vaping temperatures, many of these devices were corroding internal components (coils, atomizers, tanks, battery terminals, mouthpieces) made from a variety of metals such as stainless steel (Fe, Cr, Ni, Mo), brass (Cu, Zn), nichrome (Ni, Cr), kanthal (Fe, Al, Cr) and solder (Sn, Pb). This invited talk will examine the fundamentals of vaping including the process of converting a mixture of cannabinoids and diluent oils into an aerosol and in particular the challenges of monitoring elemental contaminants in the vaping aerosol compared to the liquid in the tank. In addition, it will focus on the difficulties associated with trapping and collecting the aerosol generated from a mixture of hydrophilic and hydrophobic liquids without contaminating the sample, and how best to validate the procedure using standardized methods developed by the tobacco industry for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). It will also examine the ICP-MS measurement procedure and the many potential interferences observed when characterizing the most common metals found in vaping devices.

Speaker: Robert Thomas - Scientific Solutions
Rob is the principal of Scientific Solutions, a consulting company that serves the educational needs of the trace element user community. He has worked in the field of atomic spectroscopy for 45 years, including 24 years for an instrument vendor. He has served on the ACS Committee on Analytical Reagents for 23 years as leader of the heavy metals task force, where he has worked very closely with the USP to align ACS heavy metal testing procedures with pharmaceutical guidelines. Rob has written overt 100 publications, including a 15-part series on ICP-MS. He is also the editor of the Atomic Perspectives column in Spectroscopy mag, as well as serving on the advisory board of Analytical Cannabis. Rob has authored 5 textbooks on the applications of ICP-MS. His most recent book is entitled Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp. Rob has an advanced degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Wales, UK, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC).