Ethanol Cannabis Extraction: What is Ethanol and How it Works

Cannabis flowers were once the main choice for medical use. These days, there are many cannabis options for users. They include edibles, extracts, and concentrates. In the manufacturing of these products, ethanol extraction is a frequently used procedure.  This method, along with butane and CO2 extraction, is one of the three main extraction methods.

Different manufacturers choose extraction methods based on a variety of factors, such as efficiency, cost, and the intended final product. Ethanol extraction is now a popular way to make cannabis oils and infused products. Using ethanol, it extracts the necessary components from the cannabis plant. As this method gains popularity, cannabis products are being made on a larger scale.

What is Ethanol?

Ethyl alcohol, often known as grain alcohol or volatile alcohol (C2H6O), is a colorless, flammable liquid. Ethanol extract is used to make paints, solvents, food additives, gasoline, and cosmetics. If you have had beer, wine, or spirits, you most likely have ethanol in your system. Also, people have used ethanol to extract chemicals from plants, such as cannabis.

Producers ferment and then distill many sources of ethanol. The most popular feedstock for making ethanol is corn. Wheat, sugar cane, potatoes, barley, and grain sorghum are further sources. Plant material is the source of ethanol, which makes it a sustainable energy source.

The FDA says that ethanol is a Class 3 solvent. It has minimal hazards when used in pharma manufacturing at less than 0.5% or 5,000 ppm. Lab testing can guarantee that there is not a significant quantity of residual solvent in the ethanol-based extracts. Lower cut-off values for ethanol cannabis extraction will apply in certain states. It is well known that ethanol extraction leaves little to no solvent behind.

Ethanol Cannabis Extraction Process

Manufacturers can work in either a warm or cold setting. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. It depends on which a manufacturer prefers. The Soxhlet process heats, condenses, and cools ethanol. It also quickly immerses floral material in heated ethanol. This method applies to more modest volumes of engendered cannabis oil. This process also converts THCA to THC, activating cannabis compounds. Further steps may be needed to remove unwanted materials from the extract.

Most ethanol extractors operate at room temperature or in a cold environment. They try to isolate specific cannabinoid acids, like THCA and CBDA. The goal is to produce shatter crystals or other embeddable products. Extraction at room and low temperatures reduces pigments and waxes in plants. It also reduces the amount of cannabinoids recovered. Cooler temperatures keep cannabinoids in their acid forms. These may be better for extracting THCA and CBDA.

The terpenes and cannabinoids are extracted from the cannabis material using solvents: ethanol, butane, and CO2. Ethanol is a polar solvent. It can dissolve water-soluble compounds, like chlorophyll. It can also dissolve cannabis. In the end, this results in an extract with a dark hue and a grassy taste.

In a lab, researchers combine ethanol with cannabis in a column at or below room temperature. After extracting cannabinoids, the processors evaporate the solvent. This leaves only the cannabis oil. We need to post-process the extract from the organic plant material to improve it. Thereafter, we remove the chlorophyll, which contributes to the bitter, pungent taste.

Benefits of Ethanol Extraction

Many producers think ethanol is better than CO2 and butane for extracting weed. Like any fluid, ethanol extraction has its limits. It removes almost all the solvents that might remain in the end product. Cannabis makers can also use ethanol extraction. It can remove cannabinoids and oils. They use it to make products like THCA crystals.

When it comes to price, ethanol extraction can be a good choice for many companies that still want a high return. You can also work safely with ethanol extraction if you do it the right way. A computer can control the new ethanol extraction tools. They need little human input. Closed-loop systems also stop any chemical leaks or fire risks.

Ethanol extraction can have lower start-up costs than other methods. This is true for its tools, staff, and output. Goods produced from ethanol maintain high purity levels of 90% or higher. Warm extraction methods can make goods that are ready to use. Decarboxylation can help with that.

Isolates, Full-Spectrum Extracts

Weed ethanol extraction can make either full-spectrum extracts or cannabinoid isolates. It depends on how the extracts will be used. Many extractors call it a "universal solvent." It can break down a plant's marijuana, terpenes, and chlorophyll. In such a case, full-extract cannabis oil must keep all the original chemicals of the plant.

Ethanol extraction can boil off terpenes and other substances. This leaves a very strong cannabis oil with no smell. This oil is perfect for those who want no weed taste in edibles or tinctures. At the end of the day, producers determine the type of cannabis extracts used based on the goods being made.

People really like ethanol extraction because it provides a safe and clean weed product, clear of the threat of impurities. Ethanol can be a strong, cheap solvent. It makes very concentrated extracts if conditions are controlled. You can put these ingredients in cartridges, meals, medicines, creams, and any other product you can think of.

The Future Cold-Ethanol Extraction

To manage large volumes of plant material, technology must keep up with advances in hemp and cannabis processing. Solvent evaporation, loading and unloading inputs, and grinding the plant material are major issues. To solve these problems, businesses like Eden Labs are offering new technologies.

One is a continuous-feed centrifuge. This method creates a mix of liquid and solid. It extracts by continuously feeding ethanol and crushed cannabis through a centrifuge. After the mixture is separated, the liquid is sent to a stage where the solvent evaporates.

New continuous-feed technology has brought membrane filtering to the market. It is even better than falling film evaporators at separating the extract and solvent. This development automates processes and scales production. It cuts costs and speeds up extraction.

The technique has improved for cold-ethanol extraction. It has increased the yield and purity of the end product. Ethanol extraction is an efficient way to produce high-purity cannabis extracts. It works well with the right conditions and equipment. Large-scale processors still choose ethanol. As automation improves, it will boost ethanol production. It will be more efficient and cheaper.