Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Profiling of Smoke Condensate from a Seized Herbal Blend Containing the Synthetic Cannabinoid JWH-210

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Abstract
Synthetic cannabinoid products are commonly smoked as plant-based mixtures, yet the compounds transferred to or generated in smoke remain poorly characterized. This study qualitatively compared an unheated seized herbal product containing JWH-210 with smoke condensate generated using a vacuum-assisted laboratory apparatus. Cigarette tubes packed with 800 mg of the seized product were combusted for 1 min, and smoke drawn through the collection train was retained on a C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge. The cartridge was sequentially eluted with methanol and dichloromethane, and the extracts were screened by gas chromatography–electron ionization–mass spectrometry. Compound annotations considered mass-spectral library matches, diagnostic ions, signal-to-noise ratios, and retention-index agreement. The representative unheated extracts contained 19 annotated chromatographic peaks representing 13 unique tentative annotations, whereas, the representative smoke-condensate extracts contained 48 peaks representing 43 unique tentative annotations, including 35 observed only after smoke generation. A signal tentatively assigned to JWH-210 was observed before and after smoke generation. Two additional synthetic-cannabinoid-related library matches occurred only in the methanolic smoke extract but remain provisional because authenticated standards, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and matrix-matched controls were unavailable. These findings provide a case-specific qualitative smoke fingerprint relevant to forensic screening but do not establish concentrations, formation pathways, exposure, or toxicological risk and should not be extrapolated directly to human inhalation exposure.
Funding Information
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UIDP/04378/2020)
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (UIDB/04378/2020)
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (LA/P/0140/2020)
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (CEECINST/00108/2021/CP2794/CT0001)
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (2021.01789.CEECIND/CP1662/CT0014)

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