[c03rcion]

I tried passing some dark green cannabinoid solution through some activated carbon and was highly impressed with the improvement in color and clarity. I understand some loss of desirable compounds is to be expected.

I placed some activated carbon in a 90mm porcelain buchner funnel with a pre-wetted qualitative filter paper. It may have been enough carbon to make a cake 2 cm high. I added enough ethanol to the carbon to make a slurry and applied the vacuum to the flask to make the carbon like a cake.

I then started passing some of the dark green solution through my filter, under vacuum, and watched the liquid emerge from the bottom of the funnel and drop into the filter flask. I was curious to see it was appearing light yellow. I was surprised after about 200 ml I had no more green and a very nice yellow-gold looking solution with excellent clarity.

I also tried passing some of this dark green stuff through some ground up diatomaceous earth but didn't see much of a change.

I also tried mixing a couple of table spoons with the DE and got an improvement in clarity (the red pigment was gone) but the green was definitely still there.

How much of the cannabinoids and terpenes can I expected to be retained by the charcoal?

Is there a better way to remove the pigments (the dark red pigment and chlorophyll)?

Is there a suggested ratio of mass of carbon to liter of solution?

[WaterFarmFan]

Interesting. Not sure about the chemistry, but I have some basic questions:

How much ethanol is in your starting cannabinoid solution?
How many ml of ethanol did you add to your slurry?
How did the starting volume compare the finished volume?

From my research on terpenes, I am quite certain that carbon is most likely grabbing some as the organics are quite volitile. If you only want a more distillate like product, without the short path, than this might be viable.

Did you purge the yellow-gold solution after your process? What was the consistency? How does that consistency and effect compare to shatter made without your filtering step?

[Gray Wolf]

Originally Posted by c03rcion

I tried passing some dark green cannabinoid solution through some activated carbon and was highly impressed with the improvement in color and clarity. I understand some loss of desirable compounds is to be expected.

I placed some activated carbon in a 90mm porcelain buchner funnel with a pre-wetted qualitative filter paper. It may have been enough carbon to make a cake 2 cm high. I added enough ethanol to the carbon to make a slurry and applied the vacuum to the flask to make the carbon like a cake.

I then started passing some of the dark green solution through my filter, under vacuum, and watched the liquid emerge from the bottom of the funnel and drop into the filter flask. I was curious to see it was appearing light yellow. I was surprised after about 200 ml I had no more green and a very nice yellow-gold looking solution with excellent clarity.

I also tried passing some of this dark green stuff through some ground up diatomaceous earth but didn't see much of a change.

I also tried mixing a couple of table spoons with the DE and got an improvement in clarity (the red pigment was gone) but the green was definitely still there.

How much of the cannabinoids and terpenes can I expected to be retained by the charcoal?

Is there a better way to remove the pigments (the dark red pigment and chlorophyll)?

Is there a suggested ratio of mass of carbon to liter of solution?

Activated charcoal works, but as you alluded, has a healthy appetite for the target elements as well.

You might try adding enough citric acid to turn the solution bright yellow, and then running it through Bensonite clay filters to neutralize and filter.

After the citric acid, you can also add the same measure of pentane or hexane and brine. Shake, allow to separate, drain off the alcohol and water mit der crap, and evaporate off the solvent to yield the concentrate.

[c03rcion]

Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

Activated charcoal works, but as you alluded, has a healthy appetite for the target elements as well.

You might try adding enough citric acid to turn the solution bright yellow, and then running it through Bensonite clay filters to neutralize and filter.

After the citric acid, you can also add the same measure of pentane or hexane and brine. Shake, allow to separate, drain off the alcohol and water mit der crap, and evaporate off the solvent to yield the concentrate.

Once again thanks for the information GW. I actually like the bright yellow-gold color. But I am always interested to know more techniques.

[SkyHighLer]

Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

Activated charcoal works, but as you alluded, has a healthy appetite for the target elements as well.

You might try adding enough citric acid to turn the solution bright yellow, and then running it through Bensonite clay filters to neutralize and filter.

After the citric acid, you can also add the same measure of pentane or hexane and brine. Shake, allow to separate, drain off the alcohol and water mit der crap, and evaporate off the solvent to yield the concentrate.

GW has several articles with the details at his site, here's a couple:

https://thealchemistresource.thealch...og-page_3.html

https://thealchemistresource.thealch...com/p/6_1.html


Here it is from Dave, the link is cued up, Step 6: Purification,

https://archive.org/stream/CannabisA...e/n25/mode/2up

The petroleum ether mentioned can be referenced elsewhere in the book, it is the low boiling point faction (35-60C) composed mostly of pentane with some hexane. Pure pentane (and other quality solvents) are readily available to the general public in the US, follow the "Solvents and polarity" link in my Signature below. Expand the thread, and Search for the solvent you need, I posted the details of where and how to purchase them including pictures of what I received and how it was packaged for shipment.

Here's an example,

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.ph...9&postcount=35

[G.O. Joe]

The proper amount of carbon is the minimum. It's too variable a product to say what you have in your hands for sure, but the rule of thumb is larger molecules have more stickiness to the carbon.

[Mikell]

And what of the carbon particle size? Are pellets or a powder preferable? Most reference powder.

[SkyHighLer]

Again from Dave, Chapter 8, Preparation of Translucent (Honey) Oil (I also attached a screenshot,)

https://archive.org/stream/CannabisA...e/n55/mode/2up

Definition of norit: a commercially produced activated carbon that is used as an adsorbent (as for decolorizing sugar solutions or isolating vitamins or antibiotics)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/norit

You want powdered,

https://www.cabotcorp.com/solutions/...ge/edible-oils

From the info sheet,

Another important goal in this application is the removal of unwanted colors from oils. For biological oils derived from fish and plants, activated carbon is the preferred technology for decolorization as bleaching earths are no longer permitted for this purpose. Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) is highly effective for the removal of PAHs and unwanted colors in the edible oil refining industry.


This site has a lot of general info about activated carbon in the pages listed at the right,

https://alcoholpurification.com

[c03rcion]

Originally Posted by SkyHighLer

Again from Dave, Chapter 8, Preparation of Translucent (Honey) Oil (I also attached a screenshot,)

https://archive.org/stream/CannabisA...e/n55/mode/2up

Definition of norit: a commercially produced activated carbon that is used as an adsorbent (as for decolorizing sugar solutions or isolating vitamins or antibiotics)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/norit

You want powdered,

https://www.cabotcorp.com/solutions/...ge/edible-oils

From the info sheet,

Another important goal in this application is the removal of unwanted colors from oils. For biological oils derived from fish and plants, activated carbon is the preferred technology for decolorization as bleaching earths are no longer permitted for this purpose. Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) is highly effective for the removal of PAHs and unwanted colors in the edible oil refining industry.


This site has a lot of general info about activated carbon in the pages listed at the right,

https://alcoholpurification.com

Thank you for the info!

I can only assume when the Instagram bros hashtag carbonscrubbed, they are referring to using activated carbon, which of course is nothing new to chemists. I have always thought of it as the "big gun" as Zubrick describes it.

Would ben

[G.O. Joe]

Originally Posted by Mikell

And what of the carbon particle size? Are pellets or a powder preferable? Most reference powder.

The powder is synonymous with decolorizing, but some labs do use granular or pellet for that purpose - there is never ever a picture of fish on the label.

The use of columns of carbon in certain applications such as ethanol purification has no relevance to how to purify THC. If you try that with Darco or Norit powder I don't see how you'll have any THC left. It could be fully decolorized though. I could go on about misplaced trust and Cannabis Alchemy but this is not the place for it. In my hands stirring with a pinch of Norit A will remove red but not yellow. It pulls out something that is neither, nor THC, that makes it heavy or sticky - but after it's gone carbon remains suspended for longer. Green should be no problem.