Working document · the total-THC line

Total THC, worked.

What is "total THC," and why does it matter for THCA? Total THC estimates what a product will deliver once heated: delta-9 THC plus 0.877 × THCA, where 0.877 corrects for the CO₂ lost in conversion. The same flower can pass as hemp on a delta-9-only test and usually fails on total THC, which is why the choice of standard matters so much. The jurisdiction makes that choice. Not legal advice; verify locally. grade: Established

See the working →Open the specimen

The working

Two rows in, one line out.

The specimen certificate on Read a COA prints its total-THC line with the working beside it. Here it is on its own, row by row.

The total-THC line of the specimen certificate: the two panel rows it reads, the converted THCA, and the total, in mg/g. Specimen values, invented to teach the layout.
Line	mg/g	Working
Δ9-THC	0.4	the Δ9-THC row of the panel
THCA	0.6	the THCA row of the panel
THCA, converted	0.53	0.877 × 0.6
Total THC	0.93	0.4 + 0.53

The line, as the specimen prints it: 0.4 + (0.877 × 0.6) = 0.4 + 0.53 = 0.93 mg/g.

Both readings, beneath it: Δ9-only 0.4 mg/g · total-THC 0.93 mg/g · which applies depends on jurisdiction.

The total-THC line, as the specimen explains it

What it means: Δ9-THC plus 0.877 times THCA: an estimate of the THC the product would deliver once heated. The 0.877 is the ratio of the two molar masses, because THCA loses CO₂ on the way to THC.
What to check: Do the arithmetic yourself from the two rows above; it takes ten seconds. Which figure your jurisdiction counts, Δ9-THC alone or total THC, varies and is contested.
The common trick: A certificate that lists only Δ9-THC, so the total is never written down.

The factor

Where the 0.877 comes from.

The THCA page prints it as the Total-THC factor row of its specification panel: Δ9-THC + 0.877 × THCA.

What is THCA's formula?

C₂₂H₃₀O₄, with a molar mass of about 358.48 g/mol: Δ9-THC with a carboxylic-acid group attached. Losing that group as CO₂, roughly 12% of the molecule's mass, yields THC, and that lost mass is where total-THC calculations get their 0.877 multiplier for THCA. grade: Established

On a real certificate

What to look for.

What should I look for on a THCA COA?

Three numbers first: delta-9 THC, THCA and a total-THC figure (delta-9 + 0.877 × THCA), on a current Certificate of Analysis from an independent third-party lab. It should also show screens for pesticides, solvents and heavy metals, from a lab you can verify. A COA that leaves out THCA or total THC is missing the number that matters most. grade: Established

8
Only Δ9-THC on the THC line
Total THC is Δ9-THC plus 0.877 × THCA. A certificate that lists only Δ9 never writes the total down. Flag 8 of twelve.

The THCA row

What to check: That the certificate counts it, not just Δ9-THC.
The common trick: Quoting Δ9-THC on its own and calling the product THC-free.

The Δ9-THC row

What to check: This row together with the total-THC line, against whatever threshold applies where you are. The site holds no threshold; regulations vary by jurisdiction.
The common trick: "THC-free" on a label whose panel shows a value below the limit. Below the limit is not none.

Informational only

Informational only, not medical or legal advice; regulations vary by jurisdiction. Every number on this specimen is invented to teach the layout of a certificate. It describes no real product, laboratory, batch or result, and no value on it should be compared with a real one. The full specimen, line by line, is on Read a COA; the twelve flags print on one page. Report a safety event. Peregrine Biopharma funds the platform and holds no editorial authority.