In a solventless extraction system, oils and other materials are extracted from marijuana residues into ethanol without chemical solvents. The process requires an oven so that the THC can vaporize before ever touching a chemical compound. However, when you choose a solventless extraction method, there are many options. This post highlights the different types of methods you can deploy in your system, how they work, and which ones are preferable.
Mechanical
Mechanical extraction is the most environmentally friendly approach to extracting CBD oil because it does not involve burning any plants or using chemicals such as hydrocarbons and alcohol. This method uses pressure to force plants through a filter or sieve and separate desired material from the plant matter that is filtered out during this process. Also, mechanical extraction is economical because it does not require expensive equipment or solvents and can be done at home with a shared kitchen appliance.
The main drawback of mechanical extraction is that the resulting CBD extract does not have exceptionally high levels of CBD. Most of the plant matter that remains in the oil after the oil has been filtered still contains a lot of CBD, but this material cannot be extracted and separated from the plant by simply filtering it out. Also, even if the resulting CBD extract has high levels of CBD, physically extracting and drying out the plant matter from the final extract can lead to the loss of some beneficial compounds to health.
Carbon dioxide extraction
The carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction method is a popular alternative to traditional heat-based CO2 extraction methods. For instance, in Los Angeles solventless method, CBD experts uses carbon dioxide or nitrogen to extract numerous compounds found in the cannabis plant with minor undesirable effects. The main drawback of carbon dioxide extraction is that it can take a long to extract all desired compounds from the plant matter. Also, the CO2 process tends to be much more expensive than heat-based extraction methods and requires more sophisticated equipment.
Rosin extraction
Rosin extraction is similar to mechanical extraction in that it involves using pressure to extract desired compounds from plants. The main difference between rosin extraction and mechanical extraction is that the rosin method does not use pressure to force plants through a filter or sieve; instead, the rosin technique uses high heat and pressure to convert the plant material directly into a sticky substance called “rosin.” This ‘rosin’ can be easily separated from non-desirable plant matter and extracted into oil or other desired products.
At the same time, rosin extraction can result in lower-quality CBD extract than mechanical extraction due to the higher temperatures involved. Also, rosin extraction typically involves using solvents such as butane or hexane and hydrocarbons such as propane or ethanol to produce commercial-grade rosin products. These solvents may damage some of the plant’s beneficial compounds and introduce potentially harmful by-products into the final product.
The new and improved solventless extraction methods such as rosin, carbon dioxide extraction, and mechanical use heat, pressure, and time to extrude cannabinoids from industrial hemp. Unlike other methods for extracting CBD, there is no need for dangerous chemicals or solvents.
