MeasuringTHC inButter
using theSRI 8610CGC
Ablank runwasmade after
thebutter chromatograms. No
carryover peaks or residue
from the butter was observed.
We did notice that the reten-
tion times of theCBD and
THCwere shifted about 3%
earlier with the 1 gram butter
injections, but returned to the normal time in subsequent injections of non-
butter samples.
Wemade amore concentrated butter extract ( 3 grams butter in 40ml
methanol ) and saw the retention timesmove even earlier.
We suspect the butter temporarily covers the stationary phase of the col-
umn resulting in less retention.
Conclusion:
This experiment shows that a simplemethanol extraction completely
transfersTHC andCBD from butter into themethanol and avoids prob-
lemswith the butter fats on theGC so long as the column is taken high
enough in temperature during each analysis to elute the butter fats com-
pletely. TheMXT500 columnwhichwas used is rated to over 400Cwhich
allows this high temperature operation. Inaddition the thin filmpromotes
fast elution of the high boilingmolecules. Even so, the analysis took
22minutes.
The peculiar shape of theCBD peak and the evidence that the butter in-
creases theCBD number but not the d9THC is not explained and requires
further investigation.
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