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Cannabinoid testing

Discussion in 'Medical Marijuana Usage and Applications' started by OldCannaPro, Feb 9, 2018.

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  1. #41 OldCannaPro, Feb 15, 2018
    Yes, I took samples from four of my infusions before letting it soak all day with the rest, and I'll do the same tomorrow. I figured there was no since doing three soaks if one will do as well. I am going to have to run more tests now, but time spent now could save time in the future. I figured it might be the types of fats and acids in the oils that determine the absorption rates for each. Hopefully I can still learn something from the tests. I have learned something from each test I have run so far, so no reason to think otherwise now.
     
  2. #42 PsychedelicSam, Feb 15, 2018
    I keep learning from all my tests and I've had a lot. I still do many that are simply "research" into an idea. You'll be glad you've done this because you can have the confidence of knowing what you're talking about instead of just hypothesizing and it let's you make connections which others pass by. Knowledge is power. :ey:
     
  3. #43 OldCannaPro, Feb 15, 2018
    I'm hard headed and have to do things to really learn the thing.
     
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  4. #44 Robinthecook, Feb 17, 2018
    Sam, I knew you would know the reason! Lol Most potent recovery = Most saturated fat media. I love to watching you guys home processes, until Florida comes out of the dark ages.... I can do it vicariously in this window.
     
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  5. #45 OldCannaPro, Feb 19, 2018
    I am just attaching this file of two plates I did to see if I can, and if other can see my test results. Any problems seeing this?
     

    Attached Files:

  6. #46 Robinthecook, Feb 19, 2018
    I could definitely make this out. Is that from a home testing kit?
     
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  7. #47 OldCannaPro, Feb 19, 2018
    Yes, the top one is of cannabis, and the bottom one is of three different salves and the very left lane was hard candy. The candy wouldn't dissolve, so no info showed on that lane. These are copies of copies, and then scanned, so a lot of color and definition is lost in the process. You run four to five lanes on each plate.
     
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  8. #48 OldCannaPro, Feb 20, 2018
    Okay, I ran two plates. You can see how a full cannabinoid profile should line up, CBD first then THC and so on by the last image on this attachment. The first two are actual plates. It's hard for you to imagine the original plate and the colors, as that all fades with copying and then scanning, but I use the actual plate to make my determinations as far as % of THC,CBD,Etc.. I put my impressions, for what they are worth on the copy before I scanned. I have an advantage of running several other TLC plates and gained insights from that experience. I hope you can make some since of the testing method and results. I had a few surprises, how about you guys? Just in case you didn't know there is only one sample of actual weed, the rest are infusions.
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. #49 PsychedelicSam, Feb 20, 2018
    I could see it but really had no reference on how to read them, though. :)
     
  10. #50 PsychedelicSam, Feb 20, 2018
    I guess it would take some practice to be able to read it correctly. It would be interesting to compare it to lab test data for the same material. :mellow:
     
  11. #51 OldCannaPro, Feb 20, 2018
    I agree, but since I am not making to sell this product, I am going to have to depend on TLC testing. If anyone is interested, I'll send them a sample and they can test at a lab for comparison. Basically, I don't see a lot of difference between fully processes samples. The Coconut oil absorbed about twice the amount as the others, but the Shea Butter didn't absorb as much as I would have expected, only slightly more absorbent than Olive oil. The one thing I did notice is that the THCV didn't come over as well as THC and CBD. Keep in mind, you aren't able to see the plates very well, the color doesn't come through well in the copies, but I did, and saw the color in the shadow that indicated THCV, CBG and CBC. It sure isn't as easy to read as the test results you get, but then they transfer their results into a report that is easy for customers to read, like pie charts and bar charts.
    Sam when you take your sample infusion to be tested, do you have a profile of the strain you used to make the GD you used to infuse it?
     
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  12. #52 OldCannaPro, Feb 20, 2018
    I guess I need to learn if the cannabinoid transfer is different for the different cannabinoids. It makes since that if they travel up the plate to different locations, they also absorb at different rates and amounts.
     
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  13. #53 PsychedelicSam, Feb 20, 2018
    Ah, that's the results I would have expected between the oils. Even if the actual numbers are more observational than empirical, it does give you a decent comparison. I expected the coconut oil to be quite a bit higher than the olive oil and Shea butter because of the difference in the saturated fat. I would expect a slightly higher reading from bacon fat.

    I'm sure that your THCV, CBG and CBC readings are lower in the other oils for that reason, too. The extraction should be proportionately the same for all the cannabinoids. I like that you have some software that can help interpret your results as long as it has a good database. When I was originally looking to get one, that feature was one that almost sold me on it. That was a few years ago and I bet their database is much larger now.

    I do a lot of tests like you're doing, where I'm trying to measure one thing or another where high total cannabinoids aren't necessary and I'm looking at how well something extracted or rate of decarb or cannabinoid conversion or something similar. For those tests I definitely do a "raw" sample so that I can have a control. For my potency tests I don't need the original profile. The dispensaries give me a close enough range so those tests are mainly to determine dosing or the success of an infusion.

    I really prefer testing alcohol based products than oil or other medium that requires a long infusion process. I've found that I get more of the CBG, CBC, CBD and THCV and terpene values. In the lab some of those are too dilute to detect, such as an edible, and causes some overlapping of the spectrums. Labs have some limits but with your TLC you can at least see some response there with the absorptions. :)
     
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  14. #54 OldCannaPro, Feb 20, 2018
     
  15. #55 OldCannaPro, Feb 20, 2018
    I don't have any database except the copies you saw before, plus others, simple copies of the plates. I don't have a flat bed scanner, so I need to make a photo copy and then scan in my paper feed scanner. I have personal notes, that's my database.
    Thanks for the input Sam! A visual is really helpful for my purposes. I see what I should, maybe not what I want sometimes. The plate tells me what is present, and more or less how much is present. When I get a ruff estimate of what transfers into what, I can plan ahead when deciding what amounts of what strains to mix in to get those elements into the mix.
    As far as exact amounts, maybe someday I will test a batch at a real lab for direct comparison. I am happy gaining experience with TLC testing. I am currently starting two crosses, and one second generation strain, when they are grown out and cured, I can better determine if they have any further purposes, if they are more medical or recreational.
    You can always smoke something and decide if it's good or bad, for recreational purposes, but do you really know what other cannabinoids are present if you grew your own? I haven't paid for pot in more than three years, I wouldn't know if the seeds they said were 50/50 CBD/THC unless I test it after I grow it.
     
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  16. #56 sabina, Oct 31, 2018
     
  17. #57 PsychedelicSam, Nov 1, 2018
    I'm into this, sabina, and it's a topic of interest for many of us. :)
     
  18. #58 bkarnaze, Nov 1, 2018
    I got a tCheck potency tester a few weeks ago, but hadn't been able to use it until recently.
    So far, the results are disappointing.
    I've run several tests using various strength alcohol and olive oil infusions.
    Every test has shown cannabinoid levels that are about 4 times greater than expected.

    I dread resolving this with the manufacturer, and will keep you posted.
     
  19. #59 PsychedelicSam, Nov 1, 2018
    I've been wondering about those things and how well they work. MyDX is another one but I think that I would go with the TLC method if I were doing it at home. Fortunately, I have the lab just down the street and a discount. :sneaky:
     
  20. #60 TheHappyCannabist, Apr 17, 2019
    I initially had trouble with my tcheck as well, readings were way off. They said the new firmware would fix the problem but It would not update to the new firmware. I sent it back and they sent me another one in return and this one seems to be working just fine. Just putting that out there in case you were still having trouble ;)
     
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