Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Forensic Science International, cilt.381, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are consumed both as cosmetics and as dietary supplements. Many countries have implemented legal regulations establishing thresholds for cannabinoids, particularly Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), in hemp seeds and hemp seed oil. This study presents the development and validation of a LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) in 12 hemp seeds and 20 hemp seed oils. In hemp seeds, as determined using the fully optimized method, the Δ9-THC concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 2.08 µg/g (mean 0.78 µg/g, SD: 0.66 µg/g, SE: 0.19 µg/g), Δ8-THC concentrations from 0.07 to 0.20 µg/g (mean 0.12 µg/g, SD: 0.05 µg/g, SE: 0.01 µg/g), CBD concentrations from 0.13 to 2.40 µg/g (mean 0.88 µg/g, SD: 0.76 µg/g, SE: 0.22 µg/g), CBN concentrations from 0.05 to 0.21 µg/g (mean 0.12 µg/g, SD: 0.05 µg/g, SE: 0.11 µg/g), and THCA concentrations from 0.01 to 1.18 µg/g (mean 0.60 µg/g, SD: 0.59 µg/g, SE: 0.34 µg/g). In hempseed oil, Δ9-THC concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 31.08 µg/mL (mean 6.64 µg/mL, SD: 8.55 µg/mL, SE: 1.96 µg/mL), Δ8-THC concentrations from 0.03 to 15.17 µg/mL (mean 3.57 µg/mL, SD: 3.94 µg/mL, SE: 0.90 µg/mL), CBD concentrations from 0.11 to 24.34 µg/mL (mean 5.15 µg/mL, SD: 6.24 µg/mL, SE: 1.43 µg/mL), CBN concentrations from 0.02 to 3.81 µg/mL (mean 0.94 µg/mL, SD: 1.04 µg/mL, SE: 0.25 µg/mL), and THCA concentrations from 0.08 to 5.57 µg/mL (mean 1.73 µg/mL, SD: 2.25 µg/mL, SE: 0.71 µg/mL). All seed and seed oil samples obtained from the market, except for one seed oil sample, contained detectable amounts of ∑THC. The mean value of the ∑THC level in commercially available hempseed oils in Türkiye (10.21 µg/mL) was higher than the regulatory thresholds applied in Denmark (4 µg/mL) and the European Union (7.5 µg/g), as well as the limit established in the USA (10 µg/g), Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea (10 µg/mL). Since the current laws in Türkiye have adopted the “zero tolerance” principle for Δ9-THC, the findings of this study suggest that cannabinoid levels in seeds and oils may lead to legal problems.