A new study published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics introduces an electrochemical sensor designed to detect cannabinoids with high precision.
For the study, a research team from Thammasat University and the Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology in Thailand developed molecular-imprinted mesoporous platinum-iridium (Pt-Ir) alloy electrodes that mimic natural molecular recognition processes. Using both molecular and supramolecular templates, the sensor can distinguish between cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), identifying each by its unique oxidation potential.
Testing with differential pulse voltammetry showed strong sensitivity, with detection limits of 1.2 μM for CBD and 1.7 μM for THC, within a linear range of 10–30 μM. Importantly, the sensors maintained reliable performance when applied to real cannabis oil samples and could be reused with minimal loss of accuracy.
“These findings open up new perspectives for the development of molecular-imprinted metal electrodes as an interesting alternative to traditional chromatographic methods”, states the study.
Researchers note that “Although this study demonstrates the sensor’s performance in cannabis oil samples, it is expected that more complex matrices (e.g., plant materials or biological fluids) would require preliminary extraction steps prior to analysis.”
Nonetheless, the platform “shows significant potential for rapid and precise cannabinoid detection for pharmaceutical and quality control applications.”
For more information on this study, click here.
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