Headspace Gas Chromatography

Headspace Gas Chromatography (HS-GC) is an analytical technique used to identify volatile compounds in cannabis samples without direct injection of plant material. A sample is heated in a sealed vial, and the vapor above it (the "headspace") is analyzed to detect terpenes and other volatile aromatics. This method is commonly employed in cannabis research and breeding programs to create objective chemical profiles of strains. HS-GC provides reproducible data on terpene composition, helping breeders document and select for specific aromatic phenotypes across generations.

Breeders and seed companies use HS-GC data to verify terpene consistency in stable lines and to identify novel volatile profiles in crosses. This non-destructive analytical approach allows cultivation facilities and research labs to catalog strain-specific aromatic signatures for quality control and lineage documentation.