Overview

Testing for heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead in cannabis products is a critical analysis to ensure safe cannabis consumption. Cannabis can absorb and accumulate heavy metal contaminants from the soil into its tissues. Cultivators should be knowledgeable about their fertilizer, soil, and water sources prior to growing cannabis. If any of the growing factors are contaminated, the plants and products down the line can be affected. A variety of health problems can arise from heavy metal poisoning, which is why heavy metal safety testing is required to sell cannabis flower and concentrates.

Analysis of heavy metals is performed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP/MS). All results are quantitated against calibration curves prepared from certified reference standards.