Single-Run Separation and Quantification of 14 Cannabinoids Using Capillary Electrophoresis

Quantification of major cannabinoids in cannabis products is normally performed using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based methods. We propose a cost-effective alternative method that successfully separates and quantifies 14 cannabinoids in a single run using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with a UV detector in 18 min. The separation is carried out in 60% acetonitrile in the presence of 6.5 mM sodium hydroxide and 25 mu M beta-cyclodextrin, resulting in good separation of cannabinoids. Our CE method demonstrated the limit of detection between 1.2-1.8 mu g/mL, with the linear range reaching up to 50 mu g/mL. We validated the method performance by testing a plant extract and quantifying cannabinoid content. This method is the first to separate 14 cannabinoids in one run using a CE system with UV detection.