Expand your capabilities.


LightLab 3 is capable of analyzing 20 analytes in over 20 product formats. You can supplement LightLab 3’s standard seven-cannabinoid configuration by adding the Minors, Converted, Hemp Compliance, and Terpenes Modules to meet your in-house testing needs.

Minors
Compounds
  • CBN-A
  • CBC
  • CBC-A
  • Δ8-THC
  • Δ10-THC
  • THCV-A
  • THCV
Product
  • Flower
  • Concentrates
  • Infused
Users
  • Cultivators
  • Processors
  • Breeders
Converted
Compounds
  • Δ9-THC-O Acetate
  • Δ8-THC-O Acetate
  • Δ9-THCP
  • Δ8-THCP
  • HHC
Product
  • Concentrates
  • Infused
Users
  • Manufacturers
  • Distributors
Terpenes
Compounds
  • Semi-quantitative
  • Low, medium, high
Product
  • Flower
  • Concentrates
  • Infused
Users
  • Cultivators
  • Processors
Hemp Compliance
Compounds
  • Δ9-THC
  • THC-A
  • Total Potential THC
Product
  • Flower
  • Biomass
  • LOD 0.05%
Users
  • Cultivators
  • Processors
  • Regulators

Minors Module

By their very nature, minor cannabinoids are uncommon and can be a valuable product differentiator. These minor cannabinoids in a plant or product can be an indication of unique genetics, an opportunity for product differentiation, and a measure of plant quality.

LightLab’s Minors Module analyzes the following five cannabinoids:

  • CBC-A: Cannabichromenic Acid.  CBC-A is the acidic form of CBC.  It is non-psychoactive and is formed in some plant genetics alongside THC-A and CBD-A, typically at a lower concentration.  Its precursor is CBG-A.  Some genetics will exhibit 1-5% CBC-A.
  • CBC: Cannabichromene.  CBC is the neutral form of CBC-A.  CBC is often present in hemp and CBD-containing plants, and more rarely in THC-containing plants. Since many laboratories do not yet measure CBC, the Minors Module will allow hemp farmers, CBD growers, and processors to select for higher CBC plants and differentiate their product with a new cannabinoid. 
  • CBN-A: Cannabinolic Acid.  CBN-A is the acidic form of CBN.  It is often formed from aged cannabis plants.  Very old plants may contain 0-5% CBNA.  CBN-A in combination with CBN are good indicators of the age and storage conditions of plant material.  Higher CBN-A and CBN typically indicate old plant material or poorly stored plant material.
  • Δ8-THC: Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol. Δ8-THC is generally made by converting CBD or Δ9-THC in a chemical reaction. Note that the process used to create Δ8-THC often creates other cannabinoids, including Δ9-THC. When running a Δ8-THC sample, LightLab has a higher detection limit of 4% for flower samples and 12% for concentrates.
  • Δ10-THC: Degraded THC, Dihydroxy-THC. In some cases, distillation can breakdown the THC molecule into by-products, reducing the potency of the product and affecting the taste.  Two of the major breakdown components are CBN and Δ10-THC.  LightLab can measure the amount of Δ10-THC, allowing distillation operators to ensure their product is pure and potent while maintaining high throughput.  In some cases, extraction operators will intentionally attempt to generate novel cannabinoids through a degradation process.  Δ10-THC is a precursor to most of the degradation products generated. 

Essential Reading: Why is Δ8THC a Difficult Measurement for Testing Laboratories and LightLab?

Converted Module

Converted cannabinoids are cannabinoids that don’t typically occur in natural cannabis at high concentrations. These are generally either derived from hemp or cannabis plant material through chemical reactions or are fully chemically synthesized. If you are working with converted cannabinoids, it is especially important to test products due to the complexities involved with their manufacture.

  • As a manufacturer, it is important to determine the purity and completion of your reactions to create a quality product.
  • As a distributor, wholesaler, or end product manufacturer testing is the only way to ensure the product you are working with contains the cannabinoids you expect at the concentrations you expect.

Learn more about the Converted Module here

Hemp Compliance Module

On-site THC compliance testing has never been easier. LightLab’s Hemp Compliance Module takes the guesswork out of crop monitoring delivering THC-A, D9-THC and Total Potential THC content between .05% and 3% with high precision. The additional capabilities, combined with LightLab’s cannabinoid panel tests, will allow you to get a complete picture of your crop’s cannabinoid production with real-time data.

  • Monitor CBD/THC ratios
  • Harvest at peak
  • Schedule Department of Ag visits at the right time
  • Verify Certificates of Analysis
  • Evaluate biomass

Learn more about the Hemp Compliance Module here

Terpenes Module

Terpene molecules are responsible for the scent profiles of cannabis plants and products. They offer an indication of freshness, they impact the consumption experience, guide consumer preference and support product differentiation.  

With the Terpenes Module, LightLab can analyze the richness of the sample’s terpene content without any changes in sample preparation or hardware upgrade.

Semi-Quantitative Analysis

Over 100 cannabis terpenes have been identified to date and those terpenes generally fall into two categories: monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Monoterpenes comprise 80% of cannabis terpenes. LightLab can analyze and quantify the monoterpenes present in a sample and uses that analysis to make an assumption about the monoterpene-sesquiterpene ratio in the sample. LightLab reports terpene content in samples as low, medium or high terpene content offering a great first-line analysis that can help cultivators and processors understand and value their product when terpene rich products are the end goal.

Low Terpene Range: <1%
Medium Terpene Range: between 1% and 2%
High Terpene Range: >2%

No additional steps are required beyond the standard liquid extraction used for LightLab cannabinoid analysis. In addition, no additional analysis time is needed – LightLab calculates the terpene content at the same time as cannabinoid analysis.