Recently NIST published the following report
NIST’s Hemp Plant Reference Material ……..will help labs accurately measure the amount of THC, CBD, toxic elements and other compounds in cannabis products.
They wrote This will help forensic labs correctly determine whether a seized material is hemp, which is legal in all 50 states, or marijuana, which is a controlled substance under federal law. It will also help producers and state regulators ensure that cannabis products are safe to use and accurately labeled.
USA: NIST’s New Hemp Reference Material Will Help Ensure Accurate Cannabis Measurements
I thought it wiould be instructive to speak to the organisation to find out more about the report and their aims in publishing it.
Thankyou to Dr Colleen E. Bryan Sallee (Fed) & Dr Brent Wilson for covering the issues with me.
Cannabis & Hemp Publications Page @ NIST
https://www.nist.gov/publications/search?k=hemp&t=&a=&ps=All&n=&d%5Bmin%5D=&d%5Bmax%5D=
Dr Colleen E. Bryan Sallee (Fed)
Dr. Bryan’s research focuses on the roles and impacts of toxic and nutritional trace elements in food safety; marine animal health; and mercury metrology. She began her career at NIST as a graduate student doing her master’s degree thesis on “Non-lethal monitoring of trace elements in bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus” and her Ph.D. dissertation on “Influence of selenium and mercury chemistries on the progression of cardiomyopathy in pygmy sperm whales, Kogia breviceps“. She has performed trace element and metalloprotein analysis using techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), liquid chromatography ICP-MS (LC-ICP-MS), and gas chromatography ICP-MS (GC-ICP-MS).
Dr. Bryan is the inorganic lead for NIST Quality Assurance Programs (QAPs) and NIST Pacific Marine Mammal Health Assessment (PMMHA) programs which are supported by collaborations with several partners. QAPs are currently in the areas of food and nutrition safety (FNSQAP), dietary supplements (DSQAP), and cannabis (CannaQAP) research. PMMHA projects include studying Hawaiian monk seals, Northern Pacific humpback whales, and bottlenose dolphin under human care in the research areas of trace elements, organic contaminants, metabolomics, stable isotopes, fatty acids, and sex/population genetics. Additionally, Colleen is the Inorganic Environmental Program Coordinator for reference materials and has been involved in several environmental projects including examining mercury spatial and temporal trends for the Alaska Marine Mammal Tissue Archival Program (AMMTAP), the Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP), and southeastern U.S. bottlenose dolphin. She is active in developing methods and trace element value assignments to support the Standard Reference Materials program. Colleen is also the Quality Manager for the Inorganic Chemical Metrology Group in the Chemical Sciences Division.
Professional Awards and Recognition:
- Medical University of South Carolina College of Graduate Studies Scholarship, 2006-2010
- Best Student Poster Presentation, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium, Fort Pierce, FL, 2004
- Grice Marine Laboratory Graduate Scholarship, 2003
- Sigma Zeta: Science and Mathematics Society, 2000
- Omicron Delta Kappa: Leadership and Academic Society, 1999
Professional Activities:
- AOAC member, 2022-Present
- International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine Member, 2013
- Medical University of South Carolina Associate Faculty Member, 2013-2019
- Hawaii Pacific University Affiliate Faculty Member, 2012-Present
- American Cetacean Society Member, 2010
- National Aquarium Conservation Center Dolphin Conservation Task Force, 2010-2012
- Society for Marine Mammalogy Member, 2003
Student Mentoring Experience
- Mackenzie Griffin, M.S., Savannah State University Marine Sciences Program (Committee Member and Laboratory Measurements)
- Amanda Bayless, M.S., College of Charleston Graduate Program in Marine Biology (Laboratory Measurements)
- Stephanie Shaw, M.S., Hawaii Pacific University Marine Biology Program (Committee Member and Laboratory Measurements)
- Julia Smith, M.S., Hawaii Pacific University Marine Biology Program (Co-Advisor)
- Jackie Bangma, Ph.D. student, Medical University of South Carolina Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Program (Laboratory Measurements)
- Frances Nilsen, Ph.D. student, Medical University of South Carolina Marine Biomedicine and Environmental Sciences Program (Laboratory Measurements)
- Angela Hansen, M.S., Hawaii Pacific University Marine Biology Program (Committee Member and Laboratory Measurements)
Walter Brent Wilson (Fed)
Research Chemist
Dr. Wilson is coordinating the CSD Cannabis research program at NIST with a focus on developing Cannabis reference materials and a Quality Assurance Program (CannaQAP). As part of his work, the development of chromatographic methods will be a primary focus to separate many natural and synthetic cannabinoids in complex Cannabis matrixes: dried plant, extracts, concentrates, edibles, etc. Gas chromatography and reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry or tandem mass spectrometry will be the primary analytical techniques. He has published 38 publications in international peer-reviewed journals and has had over 60 presentations at multiple local, national, and international conference
About NIST
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was founded in 1901 and is now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation’s oldest physical science laboratories. Congress established the agency to remove a major challenge to U.S. industrial competitiveness at the time — a second-rate measurement infrastructure that lagged behind the capabilities of the United Kingdom, Germany and other economic rivals.
From the smart electric power grid and electronic health records to atomic clocks, advanced nanomaterials and computer chips, innumerable products and services rely in some way on technology, measurement and standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Today, NIST measurements support the smallest of technologies to the largest and most complex of human-made creations — from nanoscale devices so tiny that tens of thousands can fit on the end of a single human hair up to earthquake-resistant skyscrapers and global communication networks.
Mission
To promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.
Vision
NIST will be the world’s leader in creating critical measurement solutions and promoting equitable standards. Our efforts stimulate innovation, foster industrial competitiveness, and improve the quality of life.
Core Competencies
- Measurement science
- Rigorous traceability
- Development and use of standards
Core Values
NIST is an organization with strong values, reflected both in our history and our current work. NIST leadership and staff will uphold these values to ensure a high-performing environment that is safe and respectful of all.
- Perseverance: We take the long view, planning the future with scientific knowledge and imagination to ensure continued impact and relevance for our stakeholders.
- Integrity: We are ethical, honest, independent, and provide an objective perspective.
- Inclusivity: We work collaboratively to harness the diversity of people and ideas, both inside and outside of NIST, to attain the best solutions to multidisciplinary challenges.
- Excellence: We apply rigor and critical thinking to achieve world-class results and continuous improvement in everything we do.
Learn more at
https://www.nist.gov/about-nist
Other Sources For Standards
https://www.aoac.org/scientific-solutions/
