Cannabis decarboxylation is a crucial component of activating the psychoactive compounds found in cannabis and hemp plants. Decarboxylation happens organically for smokable plant material, as the heat from the flame does the work. For consumables, tinctures and salves, however, it is a more careful process that occurs earlier in production.

Ethanol has a long history of extracting oil from plant materials for therapeutic use. In today’s highly competitive marijuana extraction sector, extraction artists have a wide range of extraction solvents to choose from such as carbon dioxide, light hydrocarbons (propane and butane), and ethanol. These solvents are used to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis or hemp resin.

Live resin is one of the most flavorful and aromatic types of cannabis concentrates out there. While not quite deemed a full-spectrum concentrate, which contains much of a strain’s original chemical profile, live resin does contain higher-than-average levels of terpenes compared to other concentrate forms such as shatter, crumble, wax, and oils.

In the increasingly innovative cannabis extraction sector, a new method of filtration and purification is winning over the hearts and minds of BHO and ethanol extraction artists. A color remediation cartridge/column (CRC) is an additional column in a closed-loop extraction system that can be used for both hydrocarbon and ethanol extraction.

In the world of cannabis extraction, light hydrocarbon extraction is the gold standard for producing everything from cannabinoid distillates to full-spectrum concentrates featuring a range of therapeutic cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other compounds. Butane and propane, in particular, are the go-to solvents used to separate cannabis resin from the rest of the plant matter.

For millennia, cannabis has been used for spiritual and medicinal purposes. Ancient cultures would manually separate the resin from marijuana buds and concoct unique forms to treat a wide range of medical ailments. Fast forward to today and the modern cannabis consumer has a cornucopia of marijuana-infused products to choose from.

Cannabis concentrates are all the rage across most states with medical and recreational cannabis access laws. While marijuana flower buds can yield up to 30 percent cannabinoids, cannabis concentrates offer a significantly higher potency reaching over 80 percent cannabinoid levels. Within the concentrate segment, marijuana consumers can choose between solvent-based and solventless concentrates.

Cannabis concentrates are a must-have product offering for brands looking to reach a growing cannabis consumer base. Concentrated cannabis compounds can be used to make a wide range of medical and recreational products such as topical ointments, edibles, capsules, transdermal patches, suppositories, and small-batch extracts. While THC concentrate products currently dominate the adult-use market, hemp-derived CBD concentrates are tapping into the trending and lucrative health and wellness segment. 

Vacuum purging is an essential component when creating high-quality cannabis concentrates. Vacuum purging solvent-based extracts removes residual solvents from light hydrocarbon extraction products to improve consistency, texture, color, and purity. The result is a translucent and pristine concentrate that’s both potent and safe for consumers.

As the cannabis concentrate market balloons to an estimated $8 billion in sales by 2022, business-savvy and licensed marijuana producers are making the measured investment in a professional closed-loop extraction system. Cannabis extraction equipment can increase profits and reduce processing costs associated with trimming and curing flower for many wholesalers. Concentrates command a higher price per item compared to flower (buds) and include a range of products such as odorless distillate oil for edibles or flavorful terp sauce for those with a more discerning palate.