[iDab]

I run a lot of material for dispensaries in the area and lately they have all been infested with bugs. Obviously that results in dark shatter and is undesireable. That lead me to skunkpharm for learning polishing techniques and some work for me but not perfectly. Also, they are time consuming, I process very large batches.

This question is two part and the first part is simply of all the solvents available and different techniques (I lean toward different chromatography techs) which would be the most efficient in removing these particulates which are I'm assuming blood and other organic matter from the mites.

The second part is what can I do to upgrade my extracting process to eliminate picking up these undesirables?

I was pondering about packing the bottom few inches of the blast columns with a filtering substance? Am I heading toward something or completely on the wrong path with this one?

Thanks for any input you can offer!

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by iDab

I run a lot of material for dispensaries in the area and lately they have all been infested with bugs. Obviously that results in dark shatter and is undesireable. That lead me to skunkpharm for learning polishing techniques and some work for me but not perfectly. Also, they are time consuming, I process very large batches.

This question is two part and the first part is simply of all the solvents available and different techniques (I lean toward different chromatography techs) which would be the most efficient in removing these particulates which are I'm assuming blood and other organic matter from the mites.

The second part is what can I do to upgrade my extracting process to eliminate picking up these undesirables?

I was pondering about packing the bottom few inches of the blast columns with a filtering substance? Am I heading toward something or completely on the wrong path with this one?

Thanks for any input you can offer!

We filter to 0.2 micron to remove the mite shit and coli-form bacteria.

[iDab]

Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

We filter to 0.2 micron to remove the mite shit and coli-form bacteria.

Thanks very much for that info.
Excuse my naivety here but if I usually winterize and filter with a coffee filter, am I going to continue doing that and then adding another step of 0.2 filtering? I can't imagine doing an initial filter with 0.2 but if I need to purchase a vacuum and buchner, that's fine.
Thanks a lot!

[blastfrompast]

Originally Posted by iDab

Thanks very much for that info.
Excuse my naivety here but if I usually winterize and filter with a coffee filter, am I going to continue doing that and then adding another step of 0.2 filtering? I can't imagine doing an initial filter with 0.2 but if I need to purchase a vacuum and buchner, that's fine.
Thanks a lot!

Pretty sure GW is referening to .2 micron filter syringes.

[iDab]

Thanks a lot, i'll have them tomorrow. Gotta love one day shipping!

[WaterFarmFan]

The trick with the syringe filters is getting the viscosity of the etoh solution just right. If it is too thick, it simply will not go through the filter despite how much pressure is exerted. If the solution is too thin than you have to use too many filters and takes more time to slowly push through. The best advice that I read and do myself is to use a caulking gun with the 65ml syringes - your arms will go numb pushing after awhile if you don't. Ha ha

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by iDab

Thanks very much for that info.
Excuse my naivety here but if I usually winterize and filter with a coffee filter, am I going to continue doing that and then adding another step of 0.2 filtering? I can't imagine doing an initial filter with 0.2 but if I need to purchase a vacuum and buchner, that's fine.
Thanks a lot!

A 0.2 micron syringe filter won't last long if you don't winterize the solution to take out the waxes and do a good prefilter.

I typically do a rough vacuum filter with a #1 (11m) or #4 (20/25m) lab filter to rough it, followed by a #3(6M), and put a 3 micron glass prefilter ahead of the PP or PTFE 0.2 micron final filter.

0.2 micron is fine enough to remove bacteria and is typically used in Pharma.

All of the above filters are face filters, which means they are a sheet of material with holes in it and the designated size of the holes is an average size, unless it is rated as an Absolute filter, at which the holes are uniform.

When a pore in the filter material stops a particle, it is blinded and out of action. Once you have enough of them plugged, you have a membrane as opposed to a filter.

On the rough filtering under vacuum, you can speed up the process and prolong filter live by gently brushing the filter surface with a small brush while it is under vacuum.

The other thing is that there is the membrane and then there is the cake that forms, so that a filter may start out a given micron, but with the cake also providing filtration and protection for the remaining pores, it filters at a level better than its rating. That's how filter presses work.

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by WaterFarmFan

The trick with the syringe filters is getting the viscosity of the etoh solution just right. If it is too thick, it simply will not go through the filter despite how much pressure is exerted. If the solution is too thin than you have to use too many filters and takes more time to slowly push through. The best advice that I read and do myself is to use a caulking gun with the 65ml syringes - your arms will go numb pushing after awhile if you don't. Ha ha

Good point about syringe filters being a hard way to go for any quantity.

[PDX Dopesmoker]

While you're getting all that gear to clean up your suspect commercial recreational cannabis extracts, why not consider growing your own pot and making your own cannabis extracts and concentrates? Then you'll never worry about what may or may not be contaminating the product. Plus its a fun hobby, plants make good friends and they smell nice.

[iDab]

Wow I am pleasantly surprised to see more info ITT. Thanks!
Regarding growing my own, of course I do. When I said I process for the shops I was referring to my job. They absolutely only what bho (shatter) even if it means dark and contaminated. It always used to be yellow or gold, strain dependent
and suddenly, some time ago everything started coming out dark amber to black strain dependent. It's obviously the bugs.
My personal dabs are rosin from my own grown buds. I don't touch anything that could have been sprayed (myclobutanil).
I talked to one of the shops and explained that they need further refinement and that in order to accomplish that, I (they) have to buy some new equipment and they gave me the okay. So for right now I have around 1500 to play with I know it might not be easy to find and I might buy used. I did find all the glass locally for 350 but could be cheap glass idk yet.
Does anyone have suggestions on this? A short path and vacuum and chiller.
I was thinking I can process like normal then distill it to a yellow oil and then re-soak and thin layer evap for shatter.
Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks