Journal:An assessment of heavy metal contaminants related to cannabis-based products in the South African market
| Full article title | An assessment of heavy metal contaminants related to cannabis-based products in the South African market |
|---|---|
| Journal | Forensic Science Internationa: Reports |
| Author(s) | Viviers, Hendrik J.; Petzer, Anél; Gordon, Richard |
| Author affiliation(s) | National Analytical Forensic Services, North West University, South African Medical Research Council |
| Primary contact | Email: henrick at nafs dot co dot za |
| Year published | 2021 |
| Volume and issue | 4 |
| Article # | 100224 |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.fsir.2021.100224 |
| ISSN | 2665-9107 |
| Distribution license | Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International |
| Website | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910721000554 |
| Download | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2665910721000554/pdfft (PDF) |
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Abstract
South African cannabis-based products that were submitted to a private laboratory for the determination of heavy metals residues were analyzed. The presence of each heavy metal residue was determined in order to establish which residues are most prevalent in samples. Two specifications were considered for both oral as well as inhalation limits: United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) <232>/<233> International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) Q3D. To date, no data of this kind exist in South Africa specifically relating to cannabis-based medicinal, recreational, or complementary products. A total of 310 samples were analyzed in duplicate and are reported in an anonymized format. The submitted samples were divided into different category classifications and grouped according to relevance for oral or inhalation specification. The results showed an alarming 15% sample failure rate, compared to the oral specification limit, and a 44% failure rate, compared to the inhalation specification limit. It is of the utmost importance for manufacturers to have the appropriate quality control regimes in place, especially for heavy metal residues, in South Africa. Furthermore, it is imperative to ensure regulation is enforced and the South African public is educated about the risks associated with using these products.
Keywords: cannabis, heavy metals, regulation, residues, South Africa
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This presentation is faithful to the original, with only a few minor changes to presentation. In some cases important information was missing from the references, and that information was added. A few words were added, updated, or shifted for improved grammar and readability, but this version is otherwise unchanged in compliance with the "NoDerivatives" portion of the original's license.
