Gc Ms Terpene Analysis

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) is a laboratory analytical technique used to identify and quantify terpene profiles in cannabis samples. This method vaporizes plant material and separates volatile compounds by molecular weight, then detects them through mass spectrometry to produce precise compound identification. GC-MS has become a standard reference method in cannabis breeding and quality control, offering reproducible data on which monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and other volatiles are present. Unlike simpler headspace or liquid chromatography approaches, GC-MS can resolve closely related terpene isomers and provides quantitative measurements suitable for phenotype documentation. Breeders and labs use GC-MS results to establish chemotype profiles and track terpene consistency across generations.

Cannabis breeders employ GC-MS terpene profiling to select for desired aromatic phenotypes and verify genetic stability in breeding lines. Documented GC-MS data allows breeders to distinguish chemically similar cultivars and establish reproducible terpene signatures as part of formal strain documentation.