Omega Laboratories and Cannabix Technologies have announced the publication of a peer-reviewed validation study in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology confirming the accuracy of Omega Laboratories' analytical method for detecting multiple cannabinoids in breath samples collected using Cannabix's Breath Collection Unit and cartridges.
The Omega Laboratories x Cannabix Technologies method is capable of simultaneously quantifying delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC, cannabidiol, and cannabinol from breath aerosols, with the study establishing sample stability for up to seven days and demonstrating that THC concentration trends in breath correlate with those previously observed in blood. The collection process involves capturing an ambient air sample alongside duplicate breath samples, which are then analyzed in a laboratory using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, with the ambient sample serving as a control for environmental contamination.
Image Credit: Omega Laboratories x Cannabix Technologies
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Breath-based Biomarker Analytics
- Noninvasive breath assays that correlate with blood concentrations suggest new paradigms for impairment and exposure monitoring outside traditional phlebotomy.
- Multiplex Cannabinoid Quantification
- Simultaneous measurement of delta-9, delta-8, CBD, and CBN from a single sample enables richer pharmacokinetic profiling and differentiation of cannabinoid sources and products.
- Ambient-controlled Sampling and Stability
- Seven-day sample stability with ambient-air controls points to robust chain-of-custody workflows and decentralized collection models for retrospective analysis.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Workplace Drug Testing
- Reliable breath-based quantification introduces alternatives to urine and blood screening that may change employer compliance and return-to-work protocols.
- Roadside Law Enforcement
- Portable breath collection coupled with validated lab analytics offers potential for more defensible impairment evidence in traffic-safety enforcement contexts.
- Clinical Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Research
- High-resolution multiplex breath analysis presents opportunities for therapeutic monitoring, pharmacokinetic studies, and noninvasive clinical trials sampling.
