Removing Chlorophyll from extracts

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
Has anyone tried extracting using chloroform?
It degrades to phosgene, used as a chemical weapon in WW1. Probably not the best choice.

"Upon ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the presence of oxygen, chloroform slowly converts into phosgene by a radical reaction. To suppress this photodegradation, chloroform is often stored in brown-tinted glass containers. Chlorinated compounds used to remove oil from metals, such as automotive brake cleaners, are converted to phosgene by the UV rays of arc welding processes." (wikipedia on phosgene)
 

atrumblood

Well-Known Member
It degrades to phosgene, used as a chemical weapon in WW1. Probably not the best choice.

"Upon ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the presence of oxygen, chloroform slowly converts into phosgene by a radical reaction. To suppress this photodegradation, chloroform is often stored in brown-tinted glass containers. Chlorinated compounds used to remove oil from metals, such as automotive brake cleaners, are converted to phosgene by the UV rays of arc welding processes." (wikipedia on phosgene)
While you're not wrong about phosgene, chloroform is still used to this day in extracting compounds from plants for medicinal use. The risks are very small seeing as the amount of phosgene that is created from the break down of chloroform are tiny and if the proper precautions are taken can eliminate the decomposition. In addition to that, if your chloroform is stored with a very small amount of absolute ethanol, then no phosgene is created at all. What makes me curious about chloroform is that it supposedly doesn't extract nearly as much chlorophyll from the plant material as other solvents such as ethanol or isopropyl.
 

BobCajun

Well-Known Member
While you're not wrong about phosgene, chloroform is still used to this day in extracting compounds from plants for medicinal use. The risks are very small seeing as the amount of phosgene that is created from the break down of chloroform are tiny and if the proper precautions are taken can eliminate the decomposition. In addition to that, if your chloroform is stored with a very small amount of absolute ethanol, then no phosgene is created at all. What makes me curious about chloroform is that it supposedly doesn't extract nearly as much chlorophyll from the plant material as other solvents such as ethanol or isopropyl.
Dichloromethane is chemically similar. Just that it has no smell and can kill you if you inhale too much. Kind of an accident waiting to happen. I don't know how much odor chloroform has.
 

atrumblood

Well-Known Member
Dichloromethane is chemically similar. Just that it has no smell and can kill you if you inhale too much. Kind of an accident waiting to happen. I don't know how much odor chloroform has.
I have both in my laboratory. Dichloromethane (DCM) has a very heavy smell, and chloroform has a similar smell though slightly less heavy and more sweet.

There are more than a few reasons for wanting to use chloroform.
1. Reduced coextraction of chlorophyll.
2. Reduced boiling point. (61.2 C).
3. High volitility.

The benefits of the first reason I feel needs no explanation.

The second reason. Reduced boiling point would allow the cannabis to he extracted with refluxing with minimal degradation of the wanted products. It also allows the efficient distillation and recovery of the solvent.

The third reason makes it so that none of the solvent is left in the product once it is allowed to air out. Possibly with the aid of a vacuum chamber.
 

Jaylewis_73

New Member
So to my knowledge chlorophyll is mainly responsible for the bad taste. When i tried to make ISO hash/oil it tasted horrible and is why ive never bothered with it again.

However doing some surfing i stumbled across this its a protocol for the commercial extraction of chlorophyll from edible commercial canola oil. AKA this is food safe.

https://docs.google.com/a/asu.edu/viewer?a=v&q=cache:vwzM16J-XTsJ:www.cyut.edu.tw/~ijase/2005/IJASE%203-2-1.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShYZ-lbdR6c4qVNwcFk1THJDN5uH-ti3J3MKHIG3MGTXwLpsjOiKUG83tBsRe3eMJN3IO4cvj6TMJ3NWRtNLsryFRGl11SffNSvn0MgcHT7OtBwkTClpThGLFyZHEEdbLKXTbBO&sig=AHIEtbQbCZhdZLSR3ZVaFepjTFGWxugE1Q&pli=1

Basically they were using Phosphoric Acid or Sulfuric Acid to remove the chlorophyll. Monkey i cant get those crazy chemicals you say
http://compare.ebay.com/like/251050410061?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y
Lol its PH Down. Easy to get/probably in your closet.

Now obviously the processess are different but i would be interested if anyone has extra stuff lying around to play around with trying to purify their Butter?,BHO,ISO,EtOH,etc.
Hi and Merry xmas.
I am new to making BHO and have only run 2 batches. 1oz each run.
Both produced just under 20% return.
Batch one was very dark but translucent under light and it smoked awesome.
Batch 2 is not so nice. It's green (chlorophyll) and I cannot see light through it. I degassed for 30hrs. What can I do to salvage this?
I have done exactly what I was taught and not getting nice golden amber colour bothers me. I'm not stupid and am not looking to spark trolls I just want to learn.
Cheers
So to my knowledge chlorophyll is mainly responsible for the bad taste. When i tried to make ISO hash/oil it tasted horrible and is why ive never bothered with it again.

However doing some surfing i stumbled across this its a protocol for the commercial extraction of chlorophyll from edible commercial canola oil. AKA this is food safe.

https://docs.google.com/a/asu.edu/viewer?a=v&q=cache:vwzM16J-XTsJ:www.cyut.edu.tw/~ijase/2005/IJASE%203-2-1.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShYZ-lbdR6c4qVNwcFk1THJDN5uH-ti3J3MKHIG3MGTXwLpsjOiKUG83tBsRe3eMJN3IO4cvj6TMJ3NWRtNLsryFRGl11SffNSvn0MgcHT7OtBwkTClpThGLFyZHEEdbLKXTbBO&sig=AHIEtbQbCZhdZLSR3ZVaFepjTFGWxugE1Q&pli=1

Basically they were using Phosphoric Acid or Sulfuric Acid to remove the chlorophyll. Monkey i cant get those crazy chemicals you say
http://compare.ebay.com/like/251050410061?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y&cbt=y
Lol its PH Down. Easy to get/probably in your closet.

Now obviously the processess are different but i would be interested if anyone has extra stuff lying around to play around with trying to purify their Butter?,BHO,ISO,EtOH,etc.
 

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gwpharms

Well-Known Member
Hi and Merry xmas.
I am new to making BHO and have only run 2 batches. 1oz each run.
Both produced just under 20% return.
Batch one was very dark but translucent under light and it smoked awesome.
Batch 2 is not so nice. It's green (chlorophyll) and I cannot see light through it. I degassed for 30hrs. What can I do to salvage this?
I have done exactly what I was taught and not getting nice golden amber colour bothers me. I'm not stupid and am not looking to spark trolls I just want to learn.
Cheers
Are you chilling your material and column enough?
Almost any solvent will work without extracting chlorophyll if you cryo cool it.
If you cant do that you can look into crc like all the other people that don't know how to or are not equipped to make dabs that don't look like dark green turds
 

Hobbes

Well-Known Member
 
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