Near Infrared THC/CBD Measurement Introduction

Curious about Near Infrared THC/CBD Measurement? Read on to learn the basics.

Near Infrared

Near Infrared or NIR light is in the 700 to 2500 nm range.  Various chemical bonds such as N-H, C-H, O-H absorb different wavelengths and amounts of NIR.  These absorption peaks can be used to measure the concentration of a particular chemical. 

NIR Measurement

To accurately measure the concentration of a chemical, take a series of NIR spectra need on samples with known quantities of the chemical. The data is processed and chemometrics are used to build a model. The model is then used to accurately measure the amount of the chemical in unknown samples.  

Measurements can be taken at a rate of up to 10 per second.   The B/R NIR is immune to vibration and ambient light.  A real-time dual beam reference eliminates drift and gives excellent wavelength repeatability. 

What Else Can NIR Measure?

NIR can be used for liquids, solids, and gases. Biomass, flower, edibles, extract, distillate and oils can all be analyzed. Components that can be measured include THC, THCa, CBD, CBDa, CBG, CBGa, CBN, CBNa, minor cannabinoids, moisture, terpenes, waxes, fats, residual solvents, and many more.

NIR Configurations

There are several types of NIR configurations.

The first is used to measure THC and CBD for Edibles, dabs, or flower. We recommend you test 100% of your product as they come off the production line. This will assure quality and find problems before they leave the factory.

A second type is a probe that can be mounted so that the measuring probe is immersed in the sample for monitoring processes such as THC remediation, decarboxylation, and conversion of CBD to D8 THC. Monitor processes in real-time for improved process control.

A third type is a flow cell where sample continuously flows through the flow cell, and the NIR spectra are taken for applications like extraction of THC and CBD from biomass. Monitor the cannabinoid profile in real-time for improved process control.

Contact us to talk about your application for instant NIR analysis.