What topics does this cannabis study cover?

This study covers research on: THC, CBD.

Where was this research published?

Published in Cannabis and cannabinoid research on May 15, 2026.

Fast, cheap, and accurate way to measure cannabis potency

Quantification of 14 Major and Minor Cannabinoids with Absorbance-Transmittance Excitation-Emission Matrix Spectroscopy and Machine Learning.

Cannabis and cannabinoid research • May 15, 2026 • Moderately Relevant

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AI Summary

Researchers have developed a breakthrough analytical technique called A-TEEM (Absorbance-Transmittance Excitation-Emission Matrix) spectroscopy that can rapidly and accurately measure 14 major and minor cannabinoids in cannabis samples. Unlike traditional methods like HPLC that require expensive equipment and trained technicians, A-TEEM combines ultraviolet-visible absorbance with fluorescence measurements to deliver results quickly and cost-effectively. When tested against the gold-standard HPLC reference method, A-TEEM achieved remarkable accuracy, with R² values of 0.994 for major cannabinoids—meaning the two methods produced nearly identical results.

The study validated A-TEEM's ability to quantify all cannabinoids with exceptional sensitivity, even detecting minor cannabinoids present at concentrations below 0.1%. The technique performed with limits of detection as low as 0.0004% for trace compounds, demonstrating that it's not just fast and cheap, but also extremely precise. Beyond raw numbers, A-TEEM successfully differentiated between three major cannabis chemovars—THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, and THC-CBD hybrid strains—based on their cannabinoid profiles, providing clear chemical signatures for each type.

These findings have significant implications for cannabis research, quality control, and regulation. The A-TEEM method's combination of speed, cost-effectiveness, and analytical performance comparable to HPLC makes it ideally suited for high-throughput screening of cannabis products. This could enable faster testing in laboratories, more accessible quality assurance for producers, and better chemical characterization of cannabis strains—ultimately benefiting consumers, researchers, and regulatory agencies who need reliable cannabinoid quantification.

📄 Original Abstract

Cannabis plants (Cannabis sativa) contain a diverse group of terpenophenolic compounds known as phytocannabinoids, with 131 cannabinoids identified to date. Rapid and low-cost analytical approaches capable of quantifying both major and minor cannabinoids are increasingly important for research, quality control, and regulatory applications. This study evaluates the patented Absorbance-Transmittance Excitation-Emission Matrix (A-TEEM™) spectroscopic technique as a fast and reliable alternative to conventional chromatographic methods. A-TEEM integrates ultraviolet-visible absorbance and fluorescence measurements while correcting for absorbance-dependent inner-filter effects, enabling linear relationships between fluorescence intensity and analyte concentration. The primary objective was to calibrate and validate machine learning models using A-TEEM data for cannabinoid quantification, benchmarked against a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) reference method. A total of 49 dry cannabis flower extracts were analyzed using the A-TEEM technique to quantify 14 cannabinoids. Spectral data generated by A-TEEM were directly compared with concentration data obtained from an established and validated HPLC-PDA method. Extreme gradient boosting regression models were developed using HPLC-PDA results as reference values to predict cannabinoid concentrations from A-TEEM spectral data and to evaluate quantitative performance. The A-TEEM method demonstrated rapid, robust, and sensitive quantification of all 14 target cannabinoids. Model performance metrics, including coefficients of determination (R2) and limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ), are scaled proportionally with the maximum cannabinoid concentrations present in the samples. For major cannabinoids exceeding 0.35% concentration, the mean combined cross-validation and validation R2 reached 0.994 ± 0.005, with mean LOD and LOQ values of 0.0146% and 0.0442%, respectively. Cannabinoids present between 0.35% and 0.1% showed mean LOD/LOQ values of 0.00278% and 0.00842%, while minor cannabinoids below 0.1% exhibited even lower LOD/LOQ values of 0.0004% and 0.00128%, respectively. In addition, A-TEEM concentration profiles enabled clear qualitative and quantitative differentiation of three cannabis chemovars: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-dominant, cannabidiol (CBD)-dominant, and THC-CBD-intermediate hybrids. The A-TEEM technique provides a sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective approach for the qualitative and quantitative determination of both major and minor cannabinoids in solution. Its analytical performance is comparable to that of the reference HPLC-PDA method while offering substantial advantages in speed, simplicity, and suitability for high-throughput analysis.

Paper Type

📄 Research

Publication

Journal: Cannabis and cannabinoid research
Published: May 15, 2026
PMID: 42141766
DOI: 10.1177/25785125261449640

Authors (11)

Mostafa A Elhendawy National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.
Adam M Gilmore Fluorescence Division, HORIBA Instruments Inc., Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
Mohamed M Radwan National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.
Elsayed A Ibrahim National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.
Amira S Wanas National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.
+6 more authors