cbd isolate How CBD Is Extracted: what does cbd stand for? We are continuing our exploration of CBD, cannabinoids & endocanabinoids. Today I'll explain the three primary methods of extracting CBD cannabinoids from the plant: what does cbd stand for?
The first method uses solvents like ethanol, butane, propane, isopropyl, or alcohol. It is one of the least expensive options & it's also fast. what does cbd stand for? But it's also dangerous due to the highly flammable contents of the liquids.
To begin the liquid solvent process, flowers & plant trimmings are put into a container. Then the solvent is soaked or run through the material, drawing out the cannabinoids. Then the solvents are evaporated leaving the concentrated cannabinoids in an oil form. The downside of this method is that the solvent residue can be toxic if it is not eliminated during the evaporation step.
The olive oil extraction process is the oldest method of extracting CBD. It's the safest method & it's simple to do. This process begins with the raw plant materials being heated to a desired temperature for a specific amount of time so that the chemicals in the plant are activated. Olive oil & the plant material are mixed & heated again. This is when the cannabinoids are extracted. The olive oil isn't evaporated, so the resulting extract won't be as concentrated as with other methods. Furthermore, its highly perishable & must be kept in a cool, dark area.
Finally, there is the CO2 method of extracting CBD. Its the most expensive & complex method. The CO2 extraction process is done by using a machine called a closed-loop extractor. This machine contains three chambers. The first one holds pressurized, solid CO2 or dry ice; the second chamber has dried plant material in it. The final chamber separates the resulting product.
From the first chamber, CO2 is pumped into the second chamber, which takes on the form of supercritical CO2 (in between a gas & liquid state). The supercritical CO2 then permeates the plant material & extracts the cannabinoids. It's then pumped into the final chamber where the CO2 rises to the top. This leaves the extract at the bottom. This method produces the highest quality concentration of CBD with no toxic residue.
After extraction, the CBD oil is further refined & purified to create either a full spectrum CBD, broad spectrum CBD, or a CBD isolate. I'll explain what those are next week.
Winterization
Winterization is the process to remove undesirable elements that were extracted from the plant, for example fats, waxes, and lipids. This process is only needed when the oil was extracted at high pressure/high temperature (supercritical) because this intense extraction pulls everything from the plant, including material you do not want in the final products. The extracted oil is effectively crude oil, which needs refining.
Once extracted, the mixture is combined with 200 proof alcohol and stirred vigorously until completely mixed. It’s then placed in a deep freezer overnight. In the morning, the mixture looks cloudy and is ready for filtration. One way to filter out the fats, etc. is to run it through a filter paper into an extraction jar. A common piece of equipment for this is a Buchner Funnel. Once it’s been filtered to satisfaction and the undesirable elements have been removed, it’s time to remove the alcohol. This is done using heat. The extraction is warmed and as its warmed, the alcohol evaporates since the boiling point of alcohol is lower than the oil. The removed alcohol may then be used on a different batch of crude oil.
Short Path Distillation
To further refine the CBD extract, and to isolate the CBD, the oil goes through Short Path Distillation. This works in much the same way as Winterization in that the extract is heated and each compound is then separated because each one has a different boiling point. In this way, each compound is isolated and can be used by itself.
