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Residual Solvents in Cannabis & Hemp
Compact, cost-effective gas chromatography designed to meet cannabis & hemp testing requirements
Residual Solvent Testing Can Be Challenging
Whether you're testing cannabis oils, extracts, or vape products, residual solvents like butane, ethanol, or hexane must be carefully monitored. These compounds pose potential health risks and are strictly regulated in medicinal cannabis/hemp. But with varied matrices, evolving compliance demands, and complex workflows, solvent analysis can become a bottleneck.
At Ellutia, we provide complete systems that make solvent analysis simpler, faster and more reliable.
A different approach to residual solvent testing
Rather than relying on multi-step workflows or large-footprint instruments, Our solution offers a streamlined, cost-effective approach for cannabis & hemp labs needing high-sensitivity solvent detection without complex workflows.
Contact us now to discuss your challenges.
Why Residual Solvent Testing Matters
Residual solvents are categorised based on toxicity:
• Class 1 (e.g. benzene): carcinogenic, must be detected at trace levels (ppb)
• Class 2 (e.g. methanol, toluene): lower toxicity but still tightly regulated
GC-FID ensures these compounds remain below permissible thresholds, especially important for protecting medicinal cannabis patients.
Regulatory Compliance
Testing aligns with international standards such as ICH Q3C and USP <467>. In the UK, MHRA compliance often requires validated solvent testing as part of product release. GC-FID is a widely accepted method for achieving this.
Product Quality & Reputation
Routine solvent screening supports:
- Batch-to-batch consistency
- Solvent-free claims
- Stronger QC and brand assurance
What Do We Mean by Validated Workflows?
This is more than just hardware Ellutia provides fully developed workflows to help you hit the ground running.
What’s included:
- Defined retention times for key solvents (e.g. ethanol, butane, acetone)
- GC temperature programming and split flow conditions
- Ready-to-use method files via Ellution software
- Use of standard vials, crimp caps, and injection accessories
- Compatible with manual or automated sampling
Our Analytical Solution
Ellutia’s 200 Series GC is designed for reliable detection of residual solvents in cannabis or hemp products. It supports manual injection and is compatible with optional autosamplers. Designed to detect even low-ppb levels of volatile organics, they combine accuracy, reliability, and ease of use in a compact footprint.
Key Features:
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Supports manual injection, with optional integration of third-party autosamplers
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High-sensitivity FID detection for volatile solvents
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Compatible with Class 1, 2, and 3 solvent types
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Validated workflows for cannabis extracts and distillates
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Space saving design that is ideal for scaling labs
Get in touch
Tell us about your testing requirements.
Download the Residual Solvents in Cannabis Application Note
Access the Case Study
MISSED OUR WEBINAR? DETECTING UNEXPECTED NITROSAMINE CONTAMINATION
One of the biggest challenges in nitrosamine analysis is identifying contaminants you’re not expecting. Standard testing methods like GC or LC can detect known nitrosamines but only if you have the right reference standards. Unexpected nitrosamines, however, can easily go unnoticed.
In this webinar, we explore practical analytical strategies that can help uncover potential nitrosamine contaminants even when specific standards aren't available. If your current methods rely heavily on predefined targets, this session will highlight ways to reduce risk and gain a clearer picture of contamination.
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