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3 Easy Steps for Safe Solvent Extraction


In the botanical industry, there are many options available for extracting soluble components of plants. However solvent extraction is the easiest, most inexpensive and fastest method. Solvent Extraction as the name says is extraction of essential oils from plants by using a solvent. Solvent extraction is also considered to be the safest forms of extraction process and provide quite similar results compared to other options available. This process is used on plants that cannot resist heat and thereby making it easy to capture their fragrances.

Steps to follow for a safe, easy and fastest extraction process:
Ethanol is a one of the widely used and most popular high-proof alcohol used for solvent extraction.

It is safe to use it for infused edibles and at the same time can be used with any type of container. Ethanol is well-known to provide uniform results and is easily recoverable from the substance.


Step 1: Soak  
Soak the plant material completely in the ethanol and leave this mixture for 24 hours in an ultralow temperature freezer. Observe what happens. The soluble components will separate effortlessly from the ethanol.

Step 2: Filter
With a Buchner funnel and a vacuum flask remove all the solid materials. This will leave behind a solution of ethanol and extract remains.

Step 3: Set Apart
Using a rotary evaporator, the extract needs to be separated from the ethanol. For quicker evaporation connect the rotary evaporator with the vacuum pump. The resulting extract will be completely free of ethanol. A variety of rotary evaporators are available ranging from laboratory research use to large scale production plants. A Heating bath could be purchased separately to accelerate solvent recovery.
After going through all the above steps of extraction, the extract is now ready for the next phase of the process.

Process for a purer extract
A process of winterization is recommended for a purer extract of essential oils from the plant. In this process, the fats, plant lipids or any kind of waxes are removed from the extract remains. At this stage, ethanol can be added to the extract, repeat the filter step followed by the rotary evaporator to boil off the ethanol. This is the purest version of the extract that can be further dried in a laboratory oven or readily infused.

Note: A distillation apparatus will require recirculating chiller to keep the ethanol at the appropriate temperature.
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