1. Dr. Markus Roggen
Don’t hold your breath:
Smoke and vaping studies on cannabis
products to quantify “quality”
Dr. Markus Roggen
President & CSO

2. Introduction
Delic Labs
Delic Labs was CBDV, 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
Delic Labs 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. Fundamental Collaboration
Collaborative Research
Delic Labs collaborates with academic, industry and private groups around
the globe. Some highlights of those collaborations are:
• YOU!!!!!
• THC isomer binding
• reach out:
markus@deliclabs.com

6. Abstract
• Current Vaping
• GRAS
• THC Inhalation Methods
• Thermal Degradants
• Risk Factors
• Puff by Puff Inhalation
• Quality of Start vs. Roach

7. Current Vaping

8. 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

9. 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)
O
O
O
OH
OH
OH
OH
HO
Vit. E Acetate
PG
VG
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
Diacetyl
MCT

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

11. Inhalation Methods
• Cambustion Smoke
Cycle Simulator
• Health Canada 2014
method
• 55 cc for 3 seconds

12. Inhalation Methods
• Filter pads for aerosols, e.g. cannabinoids
• Whatman glass fiber filter

13. Inhalation Methods
• Impinger for volatiles, e.g. terpenes
• MeOH in ice bath

14. Inhalation Methods
• Smoke temperature: 44˚C (111˚F) (literature)
• THC b.p.: 157˚C at 0.05mmHg
• Myrcene b.p.: 167˚C at 1 atm
• Humulene b.p.: b.p.: 106˚C at 5 mmHg

15. Inhalation Methods
• Smoke temperature: 44˚C (111˚F) (literature)
• Decarboxylation in Joints: FULL!
• Toxicants: We found a few!

17. 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

18. 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

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

20. 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

21. 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
1000mg 500mg 500mg 500mg 400mg 500mg 500mg
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

22. Real World: Vaping THC Inhalation
• Avg. of 1 mg THC per puff
• THC levels tend downwards through 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
Start Middle End

23. Real World: Smoking THC Inhalation
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
Start Middle End
• Avg. of 1 mg THC per puff
• THC levels tend upwards through life cycle
• There are differences between cultivars

24. Real World: Smoking Terpene Inhalation
• Avg. of 0.07 mg THC per puff
• Terpene levels tend downwards through life cycle
• Mono & Sesquiterpenes behave different

25. 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
• Delic Labs is at the beginning of this research
• We are looking for academic and industry partners to better understand
smoke and vape behavior

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

27. Expertise
CSO: 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.
DELIC Labs Team
Our team covers a wide range of expertise,
including analytical chemistry, process
chemistry, engineering physics, data
science and statistics.
Scientific Advisor: Prof. Glenn Sammis
Prof. Sammis is a Full 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.

28. Dr. Markus Roggen markus@cbdvl.com
Delic Labs Inc.
Vancouver, Canada
Deliclabs.com
markus@deliclabs.com
+1 (858) 281 8696