What is Cannabis Cold Ethanol Extraction?

There are several types of products currently available in the market made with cannabis extracts. Cannabis is home to several cannabinoids including CBD and THC. These cannabinoids can be extracted from the plant for several purposes.

Visit https://www.nccih.nih.gov/ to learn more about cannabis and cannabinoids. One common method used for extracting cannabinoids is the ethanol extraction method. The thing about this process is that temperature plays a very vital role.

Due to this, there are types of ethanol extraction based on the temperature. One of the preferred types of this method is cold ethanol extraction.

In this article, we will explain what cold ethanol extraction is. We’ll also talk about any other important thing you need to know about this method.

Cold Ethanol Extraction – What is it?

This process involves using ethanol as a solvent during an extraction process with a temperature that could range between -22˚F (-30˚C) and -40˚F (40˚C).

When this compound is kept at ambient temperature, it’s often in a liquid form. This chemical is the intoxication chemical found in alcoholic beverages. However, this is not all it is good for.

This compound is commonly used as solvents when manufacturing hemp and cannabis derivatives. Read this post to learn more about this compound. In the new yet rapidly growing cannabis industry, this compound is fast becoming a quite popular solvent that is used to extract cannabinoids like CBD and THC on a large scale.

Temperature is a very vital factor when it comes to this process. If the temperature is too warm, then unwanted/undesirable compounds may be extracted. If the temperature is too cold, then the efficiency may be greatly reduced. This is what makes this process preferable to room-temperature processes.

Why opt For Cold Ethanol When Extracting Cannabinoids

When extracting from cannabis, cold ethanol is considered a preferred choice because of the following reasons:

1. Due to the compound’s chemical structure, it can dissolve non-polar and most polar molecules. When cannabis-based products are considered, this ability makes this process ideal for the production of “full-spectrum” cannabis-based products.

2. This chemical is typically in the form of a non-viscous liquid when it is at certain pressures and ambient temperatures. This is unlike other common solvents like hydrocarbons and CO2. This ability makes it easy for it to extract molecules easily and quickly. The processing time is much faster than that of CO2 and hydrocarbons.

Cryogenic or Cold Ethanol Extraction

You may hear the term “cryogenic” being used in place of “cold” when this method is being discussed. Due to this, you may have found yourself wondering if they are the same thing.

Well, cryogenic ethanol extraction happens to be a term that refers to what is technically cold ethanol extraction. This term is a common colloquial term in this market. However, it isn’t scientifically correct.

The phrase cryogenic extraction describes any extraction that is done between -243.4°F (-153°C) and zero or -523.4°F (-273°C). Ideally, cold ethanol extractions do not let the temperature get this cold. This is because this compound’s freezing point typically is -173.5°F (-114.1°C). So, if it gets to the temperature level of cryogenic extractions, it becomes useless to be used as solvents.

Pros of this Method

The following are some cold ethanol extraction pros:

  • The time and labor involved in this process are relatively lesser. This can make a significant reduction in cost because of how efficient the process is.
  • The filtration stages are reduced significantly because of the single filtration phase used.
  • The quality of the end product is substantially increased both in the product’s potency and its physical appearance.

Cons of this Method

Despite the advantages this method offers, it also has some disadvantages that ambient or room temperature processes do not have.

The most significant con of this method is the extra cost. The energy required for this method is more. The equipment used for the processes involved is also relatively costlier. While the method offers great benefits, the cost of buying the equipment needed, plus the general energy consumption cost can be quite the turnoff.

Secondly, the entire process has to be closely monitored because the aim is to make sure the solvent dissolves some components while leaving the desired components.

Sometimes, the process may be ended too early when trying to make sure the compound doesn’t take undesired compounds. All of these might result in a significant decrease in the processing yields.

After considering both the pros and cons of this method, we can’t specifically tell you if this method is better than the others. The choice of whether or not to use this method solely depends on the desired result, staff expertise, as well as budget.

Conclusion

Cold ethanol extraction involves the use of this compound as a solvent for extracting cannabinoids at a very low temperature. This method offers several benefits like relatively lower time and labor, easier filtration, and high-quality products. However, it is a costlier process when compared with ambient or room temperature processes.

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Martin B.

Ex-smoker, passionate vaper who loves to tell the world about the life-changing potential of vaping. Co-creator of Ecigclopedia with a background in Business & Finance. Prefers a dessert flavored vape and loves to innovate.

Martin B.

Ex-smoker, passionate vaper who loves to tell the world about the life-changing potential of vaping. Co-creator of Ecigclopedia with a background in Business & Finance. Prefers a dessert flavored vape and loves to innovate.

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