Citation

Meehan-Atrash J, Strongin RM. Forensic Sci. Int. 2020; 312: e110301.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110301

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Pine rosin (colophony) has been identified as a potentially new adulterant in cannabis oil. Its inhalation toxicity poses a significant health concern to users. For example, pine rosin fumes are released during soldering, and have been cited as a causative agent of occupational asthma. Symptoms also include desquamation of bronchial epithelium, which has also been observed in e-cigarette or vaping product used-associated lung injury (EVALI) patients. The sample analyzed herein was acquired from a cannabis industry source, also contains medium chain triglycerides and oleamide, the latter of which is a hypnotic that is commonly found in the synthetic marijuana product Spice, or K2. A combination of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and high pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESIMS) was used to unambiguously identify major pine rosin ingredients such as abietic and other resin acids. Comparison to commercial samples of pure pine rosin confirmed the assignment.

Language: en

Keywords

Marijuana; Adulterant; BHO; Cannabis extract; Cutting agent; EVALI; Pine rosin; Rosin