1. Don't Hold Your Breath:
Smoke/Vapor Analysis &
Quantifying Quality
Dr. Markus Roggen

2. Introduction
Complex Biotech Discovery Ventures
CBDV is a research venture that seeks to add fundamental scientific insight
to the field of cannabis and mushroom production.
We seek to support the cannabis and mushroom industries by
establishing a centralized hub in Vancouver, BC, for collaborative
research focused on:
• Process Design
• Process Optimization
• Process Analytics
• Formulation Research

3. Collaborative Research
CBDV collaborates with academic, industry and private groups around the
globe. Some highlights of those collaborations are:
• University of British Columbia, Vancouver
• Loyalist College, Belleville
• Via Innovations by Dr. Monica Vialpando
• Veridient Science by Dr. Linda Klumpers
Fundamental Collaboration

4. Research Topics
• Chemometrics and data analytics for process control and optimization
• Kinetic studies to understand mechanisms
• In-process analytics for process control
• Computational studies to understand mechanisms
• Process development, like crystallization
Fundamental Cannabis and Mushroom Chemistry

5. Abstract
• Current Vaping
• GRAS
• THC Inhalation Methods
• Puff by Puff Inhalation
• Thermal Degradants
• Risk Factors

6. Current Vaping

7. Current Vaping: EVALI crisis of 2019
• 2602 confirmed cases
• All 50 US states,
• 59 deaths
• Symptoms: cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and vomiting
• This is a new indication, not a previously misdiagnosed one
• e-cigarette, or vaping product use-associated lung injury
Pulmonary Illness Related to E-Cigarette Use in Illinois and Wisconsin
— Preliminary Report; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1911614

8. Current Vaping
• No single cause identified yet
• Mostly from the illicit market, one death from Oregon dispensary
• Some reoccurring compounds: Vitamin E acetate, MCT oil, propylene
glycol and vegetable glycerin (all GRAS)
Vit. E Acetate
PG
VG
Diacetyl
MCT

9. GRAS
GRAS: Generally Recognized As Safe
FDA: “the use of a food substance may be GRAS either through scientific
procedures or, for a substance used in food before 1958, through
experience based on common use in food Under 21 CFR 170.30(b), general
recognition of safety through scientific procedures requires the same
quantity and quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain
approval of the substance as a food additive.”

10. GRAS
Current number of GRAS compounds: 859
Used to be GRAS: trans fat
GRAS but not good to inhale: sea water
Not GRAS: butane
https://www.fda.gov/food/generally-recognized-safe-gras/gras-notice-inventory

11. THC Inhalation Methods
• Studied Cannabis Vapes and Joints
• Collected toxicants via pad and
impinger
• Collected cannabinoids on pad
• Collection of puffs at the start,
middle and end of life cycle

12. THC Inhalation Methods
• Smoke temperature: 44˚C (111˚F) (literature)
• Decarb in Joints:
• Toxicants: We found a few!

13. Thermal Degradation
R. Paul Jensen et. al., Scientific Reports 7, # 42549 (2017)

14. Thermal Degradation
• GC-qMS
• LC-qTOF
• identified and quantified gaseous
degradants by GC
• Non-target analysis by high-res LC
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

15. Thermal Degradation
C4 – C5 C6 – C7 C8 – C10
O
O
O
O
+
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

16. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion

17. Results from our Ongoing Research
Mode MS Tol. RT
Tol.
Adducts Versions Reference
File
Identified
Feat.
Suggested
Feat.
Unknown
Feat.
Total
Feat.
RP (-) MS1: 0.01 Da
MS2: 0.05 Da
0.3
min
[M-H]-
[M-H2O-H]-
MS-Dial: 4.48
MS-Finder: 3.50
QC2 45 383 655 1083
RP (+) MS1: 0.01 Da
MS2: 0.05 Da
0.3
min
[M+H]+
[M+NH4]+
[M+Na]+
[M+H-H2O]+
[M+H-2H2O]+
MS-Dial: 4.48
MS-Finder: 3.50
QC1 78 1326 1451 2855
HCA001 end impinger
Compound RT (min) Match (%) CAS
Ethylbenzene 3.2 47 100-41-4
o-Xylene 3.9 64 95-47-6
m-Xylene 7.4 91 108-38-3
HCA002 start impinger
Compound RT (min) Match (%) CAS
Styrene 2.57 64 100-42-5
o-Xylene 3.9 64 95-47-6
m-Xylene 7.4 80 108-38-3

18. Other Potential Compounds
• Synthetic Cannabinoids

19. Thermal Degradation
• Cannabinoids and terpenes have
similar degradation mechanisms
• More terpenes = more VOCs
Group 1 Carcinogen Group 3 Carcinogen
Group 2B Carcinogen
Group 2A Carcinogen
Group 2B Carcinogen
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

20. Thermal Degradation
• Dabbing produces higher levels of degradants
• Increased voltage on vape cartridges = more degradants
Component THC dab SND dab Vape 3.2 V Vape 4.0 V Vape 4.8 V
Methacrolein, g 2.7  0.8 12  0.82 5.6 E-3 3.2 E-2 1.9 E-1
Benzene, ng 33  14 360  120 9.9 E-1 2.7 E+0 3.6 E+1
Isoprene, g 9.6  1.7 44  3.5 3.0 E-2 8.3 E-1 6.0 E+0
Other Alkenes, g 5.3  0.7 21  11 4.2 E-2 7.2 E-1 7.9 E+0
Total VOCs, g 2.0 E+01 7.7 E+01 9.4 E-2 1.5 E+0 1.2 E+1
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

21. Risk Factors
Quantitative risk assessment to interpret data
• QRA treatment may be applied to literature values for smoking
• Caution when interpreting data:
1) Machine smoking does not represent realistic use
2) Despite the presence of carcinogens in cannabis
smoke, long-term data does not support carcinogenicity
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

22. Risk Factors
• HI: Quantitative risk assessment for non-cancer effects
• ELCR: Quantitative risk assessment for cancer effects
Consumption type HI ELCR
Smoking flower 2 E+2 4 E-4
Dabbing distillate 2 E-1 2 E-7
Vaping distillate @ 4.8 V 4 E-2 2 E-7
Vaping distillate @ 4.0 V 6 E-3 2 E-8
Vaping distillate @ 3.2 V 8 E-4 2 E-9
J. Meehan-Atrash et. al., ACS Omega 2019, 4, 14, 16111–16120

23. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion
• Puff by puff concentrations are dependent on consumption method

24. Puff by Puff Inhalation
R. Zimmermann, S. Ehlert, J. Heide, A. Walte; Universität Rostock, photonion
• Puff by puff concentrations are dependent on consumption method
• Puff by puff analysis of spliffs shows THC, CBN and nicotine in smoke

25. Real World Smoking and Vaping Insights
• We on average could only vape 66% of advertised oil weight
Category HCA001 HCA002 HCA003 HCA004 HCA005 HCA006 HCA007
Claimed Oil
Weight
1.0g 0.5g 0.5g 0.5g 0.4g 0.5g 0.5g
Max. Weight
Loss
738mg 352mg 298mg 368mg 250mg 319mg 300mg
Avg. Pad
Weight
16mg 12mg 7mg 13mg 8mg 9mg 12mg
Max. #Puffs 305 267 447 504 297 363 207

26. Real World Smoking and Vaping Insights
• Amount of THC inhaled varies throughout the life cycle
• There are differences between vape products
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1 2 3
Δ9-THC
(MG)
VAPE THC LEVELS

27. Real World Smoking and Vaping Insights
• Amount of THC inhaled varies throughout the life cycle
• Joints behave opposite to vapes
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1 2 3
Δ9-THC
(MG)
JOINT THC LEVELS

28. 0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1 2 3
Δ9-THC
(MG)
JOINT VS. VAPE (AVERAGE)
Real World Smoking and Vaping Insights
• How to share a joint or vape
Joint
Vape

29. Limitation
• Most research in the literature is done on reference standards
• Limited access to real-world products
• Little understanding of real-life usage
• No collaboration between actors
• CBDV is at the beginning of this research
• We are looking for industry partners to better understand smoke and vape
behavior

30. Thank You
Thanks go to our collaborators:
• Prof. Dr. Robert M. Strongin, Portland State University
• Jiries Meehan-Atrash, Portland State University (jiries2@pdx.edu)
• Prof. Dr. Ralf Zimmerman, Universität Rostock
• Dr. Monica Vialpando, Vialpando LLC
• Dr. Linda Klumpers, Veridient Science

31. Expertise
CEO: Dr. Markus Roggen
Dr. Roggen has been actively involved in the cannabis industry for over 5 years in executive
positions overseeing production, R&D and process optimization for multiple producers. Dr.
Roggen is also a trusted advisor and mentor for multiple startups, startup accelerators and
organizations.
Co-Founder: Prof. Glenn Sammis
Prof. Sammis is an Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department at the University of British
Columbia. He has built an internationally recognized research group working on the
development of novel synthetic methods for the preparation of natural products and
pharmaceuticals.
CBDV Team
Our team covers a wide range of expertise,
including analytical chemistry, process
chemistry, engineering physics, data science
and statistics.

32. Dr. Markus Roggen markus@cbdvl.com