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Robert Thomas is the principal of Scientific Solutions, a consulting company that serves the training, application, marketing, and writing needs of the trace element user community. He has worked in the field of atomic and mass spectroscopy for more than 45 years, including 25 years for a manufacturer of atomic spectroscopic instrumentation. In recent years, Rob has become a prolific writer on the topic, with more than 100 technical publications to his name. He has authored three textbooks on ICP-MS, the technology labs use to detect trace elements, and in his latest book, titled “Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp”, he applies his knowledge to the nascent cannabis and hemp testing space.
In our conversation we discuss:
- What brought Rob to the cannabis and hemp industry
- How heavy metal testing in the cannabis and hemp industry differs from the pharmaceutical industry
- Why cannabis and hemp are particularly susceptible to heavy metal contamination
- The multiple sources of contamination throughout cultivation and processing
- Steps growers and producers can take to limit heavy metal contamination
- The current and future regulatory requirements for heavy metal testing
Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Pigment Tracker
The Pigment Tracker is a fluorescence spectrophotometer designed to allow cannabis processors and operators a way to quickly, accurately, and cheaply record the pigments in an extract or flower sample. Record keeping allows for more repeatable processing which lowers the likelihood that batches will be rejected by clients or final consumers.
Learn More about Pigment Tracker
Additional Resources
- Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp (Paperback version)
- The Importance of Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp (White paper)
- The Challenges of Measuring Heavy Metal Contaminants in Cannabis Vaping Aerosols
- A Conflicting Personality: Can Hyperaccumulating Plants like Cannabis and Hemp be Realistically Used as a Safe Source of Cannabinoids?
- The Role of ICP-MS in Understanding the Toxicological Link Between Lead Contamination in Cannabis and Hemp Consumer Products and Human Disease
- Expanding the Panel of Elemental Contaminants in Cannabis and Hemp Consumer Products by ICP-MS: Do You Know the Cost Difference?
- Heavy Metals in Cannabis and Hemp Education (LinkedIn Group)
- CannMed Archive
- CannMed Community Board [Facebook Group]
- Healthcare Provider Medical Cannabis Research Study