PerkinElmer launches fully automated workflow for cannabis & hemp pesticide residue testing

PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, has launched the cannabis industry’s first fully-automated liquid handling sample preparation and LC/MS/MS analysis workflow for pesticide residue testing of cannabis and hemp flower samples. The new end-to-end offering also includes cannabis-optimized reagents and sample prep consumables as well as proprietary cannabis SOPs and cloud-based tracking and reporting software. With the workflow, in house and contract labs can increase pesticide analysis throughput with improved data quality, decrease laboratory waste, reduce the likelihood of operator error and slash sample prep times to 2 hours from 6-8 hours when performed manually.

The workflow begins with an integrated microbalance that captures and communicates sample ID and weight data. A multi-step, sample preparation procedure is then executed automatically by PerkinElmer’s new liquid and sample handling system, the Janus^® G3 420 Workstation. This robotic technology conducts sample vortexing, centrifuging, filtering and diluting and includes integrated barcoding and scanning. The new One Pesticide420 TM Reagent Kit provides calibration and quality control reagents as well as all the sample preparation consumables needed for consistent implementation of the new application-dedicated SOPs.

After the sample preparation is complete, the sample is analyzed on PerkinElmer’s industry-leading QSight^® 420 LC/MS/MS instrument in sync with regulation frameworks such as California’s rigorous ISO 17025:2017 and BCC pesticide regulation requirements.

Finally, full sample traceability and instrument connectivity is delivered with PerkinElmer’s new cloud-based SimplicityLab420 TM software. This software supports easy batch creation and method transfer, regulation-ready reporting, integration with LIMS systems and remote workflow monitoring.

“On average, cannabis labs perform up to 1,000 pesticide analyses per month and 60% of testing time is spent on manual sample preparation,” said Greg Sears, Vice President and General Manager, Food & Organic Mass Spectrometry, PerkinElmer. “By bringing together and automating all of the pieces a lab needs to tackle pesticide analysis, our new workflow solution provides a streamlined approach that helps increase productivity, compliance and consumer protection while also saving time and money.”

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