Potency Testing
Measurement of cannabinoid concentrations for regulatory compliance and product labeling.
Learn MoreHeavy Metal Testing
Measurement of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, and mercury, against regulatory limits.
What the Analysis Measures
Heavy Metal Testing
Heavy metal testing measures regulated elemental contaminants that may be present in cannabis plant material, extracts, and finished products. These contaminants can come from soil, water, nutrients, cultivation materials, equipment contact, or processing aids.
Cannabis plants can absorb metals from the growing environment, which makes this analysis especially relevant for flower, biomass, and items made from extracted source material. When plant material is processed into concentrates, vape formulations, edibles, beverages, tinctures, or topicals, contaminants from the original input may carry through into the final batch.
Depending on regulatory requirements, heavy metal panels commonly evaluate contaminants such as arsenic, chromium, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
Testing is performed using validated elemental analysis methods appropriate for cannabis matrices and finished product types. This analysis helps determine whether a submitted sample contains regulated metals at levels that require compliance review before release.
Analytes Tested
- Arsenic
- Chromium
- Cadmium
- Lead
- Mercury
Why Metals Require Lab Assess
Heavy metal analysis supports Missouri compliance, batch release decisions, and quality control. Metals are not visible and do not typically change the appearance, smell, or texture of a sample, so laboratory testing is needed to confirm whether a batch meets applicable limits.
This testing also supports operational consistency. If results trend higher than expected, operators can use the data to check cultivation practices, ingredient sourcing, extraction processes, equipment contact points, or supplier materials before future batches are produced.
Results can help answer:
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Does this batch meet required safety standards?
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Could contamination be linked to cultivation inputs, water, soil, or processing equipment?
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Is additional investigation needed before the product moves forward?
Where Risk Can Enter the Batch
Heavy metal testing may apply to plant material, extracted material, and finished goods, but the source of risk can vary by sample type.
Flower and pre-rolls may reflect exposure from soil, water, nutrients, or cultivation inputs.
Concentrates and extracts may carry forward metals from source material and can require review after processing.
Vape products may involve additional considerations related to extracted oil, formulation inputs, hardware contact, or production equipment.
Edibles, beverages, tinctures, and topicals may require testing that accounts for added ingredients, carrier oils, emulsifiers, flavoring agents, or other formulation materials.
Verifying risk by sample type helps cultivators evaluate where contamination may have entered the production chain.
What’s Included in the Metals Panel
- Elemental contaminant analysis for regulated metals identified in the required panel.
- Preparation steps matched to the submitted matrix, whether the sample is flower, biomass, concentrate, extracted oil, infused material, or a finished good.
- Measurement and reporting designed to show whether detected levels require compliance evaluation before release.
- Results that can help quality teams evaluate possible sources such as soil, water, nutrients, cultivation inputs, processing equipment, or supplier materials.
- Results delivered through a Certificate of Analysis (COA) and supporting documentation for batch records, regulatory review, and internal quality programs.
Planning Around Results
Heavy metal analysis may require additional preparation depending on the matrix. Infused foods, beverages, oils, and topicals can take more preparation than straightforward plant material because each sample must be handled in a way that supports accurate measurement.
Timing is confirmed during intake based on the submitted material, requested panel, and current lab schedule. This gives operators a clearer planning window for compliance review, batch release, labeling, and distribution.
For batches connected to a specific release date or production deadline, contact the lab before submission so sample requirements and current availability can be interpreted upfront.
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