PINPOINT CONDENSATION TECHNIQUE USING PER FLUORATED POLYMER FILM FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL BY MICROSCOPE FTIR

The pinpoint condensation technique using perfluorated polymer film wa s applied to the identification of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the pri mary psychoactive constituent of marijuana. Rapid solvent elimination for condensation of THC into a small single residual at room temperatu re was performed by solvent evaporation on perfluorated polymer film, and the residual was measured by the microscope/FTIR technique. This s ample condensation method provided high sensitivity for IR analysis. T he detection limit was at the subnanogram level, and the sensitivity w as nearly equal to that of gas chromatography using a mass spectromete r.