Hi i would like to invite you all to take the time out to read this article, based on using the terpene alpha pinene as a green solvent, primarily to replace ethnol and other ‘toxic’ petrol solvents, i would like to know your methods involving the use of a-pinene as a solvent
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304346521_Terpenes_as_G
reen_Solvents_for_Natural_Products_Extraction
I say get yourself some nice Turpentine!
3 Likes
have you used turpentines as a solevent before, also have you read that article i’d like some opinions from the info provided in that article as i haven’t heard of anyone using terpenes as a green solvent in this industry, maybe its just me? doesn’t it make more sense to use tepenes or in this case turpentine’s instead of ethnol and petrollium solvents?
I reckon you should add it when making rosin from kief.
Easy-Peasy-Lemon-SqueezyTM 
2 Likes
please read the article
You’re correct. Who wants a pine scented Lemon-Squeezy?
Plan to. Once I’m off my phone and at a useable screen.
Edit: was pointing out that there are folks here who understand what wonderful solvents terpenes can be.
3 Likes
oooo i see, however i feel that thread is barely hitting the tip of he iceberg, judging from that article, i feel like petroleum and carbon based solvent’s in general should all be replaced with green solvents, especially when working with organic products, i mean… isn’t it fitting that organic chemistry is the medium we draw from whilst working with organic material.
1 Like
Sure, but if I can make ethanol from cellulosic hemp waste (my waste), in fact MORE than I need, why should I switch to another solvent?
A renewable is a renewable no?
(Yes, I will read the article :-))
Edit: just to be clear…there is still a big old “IF” in the cellulosic ethanol from spent hemp waste (at least in my world). The folks at Rainier Distillers claim they’ve got a critter (micro-organism) up for the task, and I’ve got a team member who thinks he’s got a handful of likely candidates…
5 Likes
im actually curious to hear what you have to say after you read the article, in terms of the benefits you can expect by switching to a non petroleum solvent,
straight from the article:
" They (petroleum solvents) are toxic by ingestion, inhalation,and skin absorption and have detrimental health effects, especially on the nervoussystem, on the liver, and on the auditory function "
also i believe in the article it states, a-pinene yields more product then petroleum solvents in a shorter amount of time, however i can’t find any information besides for the thread you linked above which goes into a bit of detail on how green solvents could be partnered with the cannabis industry, whats the other 30% in 70% BHO extract?
I’ll still say ethanol is a renewable not petroleum based 
But I guess that depends on your heat source…
1 Like
I guess the REAL question at hand is, do people use ethanol as a petroleum based solvent more often then a renewable, and would it be safer for the collective, if terpene based solvents became the new norm??
2 Likes
based on that paper, my first guess would be that you’d need to winterize using ethanol to get rid of the fats and waxes you picked up.
IMO D-Linonene & A-Pinene both seem like great solvents after extracting with cold ethanol. Replacing hexane for brine washing would be great.
as would using them for crystallization. oh wait, that’s essentially what we do now…
or of course, to soften up your trichs before squishing (see: substitute for hexane).
edit: there is a graph here that illustrates the reason to use ethanol 1st. Iso vs ethonal - #76 by Photon_noir
2 Likes
Interesting… thanks for taking the time to read and reply, I’m really new to all of this, to put it in perspective, medical cannabis is still more or less illegal where I’m located unless you are terminally ill (by the government’s definition of terminal of course) and even then it’s such a horrendous and unfair process to get to the point of buying medical flower in any form. So this really helps me learn from experience, seeing as there has been states whichin cannabis has been legal for a good while (medicinal or otherwise) if anyone else could chime in on the article to paint a better picture for the people, would be greatly appreciated 
I’m curious why you decided to paint ethanol with your “petroleum” brush?
I can go to my local store and by 1/2 gal bottles of 190 proof ethanol that are intended for human ingestion.
According to recent research our ancestors picked up the ability to process ethanol some 10 million years ago. so you’ll have a hard time convincing me you’ve got a safer solvent, even if it does “grow on trees”.
2 Likes
Yeah, it’s clear you’re new to this, and don’t have much chemistry background to hang any of it from…which is why I provided you with links.
it’s currently obvious that you haven’t looked at Iso vs ethonal - #76 by Photon_noir
here is a direct link to the graph. but it makes way more sense in context.
https://future4200.com/uploads/default/original/2X/4/400e761ed2e3ddd927d284757e162accc3aa8f5f.jpg
“natural” doesn’t always mean “good for you”. plants can’t run away, or turn and bite you, but the majority of them are actively trying to dissuade you from eating them by trying to kill you with secondary metabolites.
2 Likes
You’re suggesting it makes sense to replace “Carbon based solvents” with terpenes?
That implies you don’t have a clear understanding of what terpenes are. I’m not certain you’ve got fermentation of ethanol under your belt either if you consider it “petroleum based”.
That said, raising your hand with published data showing how well readily available plant derived solvents (α-Pinene, D-Limonene) could substitute for solvents that some of us prefer not to use, and other’s don’t have access to due to regulatory restrictions (hexanes, pentane) is very helpful to the community.
Using terpenes as the primary extraction solvent in cannabis is arguably already a thing. that’s much of the magic behind rosin, and how many CO2 rigs are tuned.
when recovering your primary solvent, the enthalpy of vaporization & the boiling point dictate how much energy you need to apply to vaporize, then condense your solvent. given that the boiling points are higher, and the enthalpies are similar, ethanol will probably require less energy input per unit biomass processed.
If D-Limonene is truly a waste product (unlike α-Pinene?), then you’ve got a win vs distilling Ethanol. Pretty sure the energy inputs for making α-Pinene vs Ethanol lay 2:1 or better in favor of ethanol.
Guess it depends on what you call “green” and why.
I’d like to see hemp operations making their own solvent from their spent biomass. using the spare sunshine they obviously have to power their stills, and their solvent recovery at least some of the time. Cooling water to the plants.
there are of course other things one can do with hemp
4 Likes
Compared to hexane or ethanol, the boiling points of these terpenes are far higher and purging them from your extract is not trivial. I’ve even run wiped film on limonene-extracted oils and they still came out with a strong odor. At least it’s a nice smelling one.
5 Likes
No because organic chemistry is not a termed coined by the usda to duoe consumers to buy overpriced food. There is absolutely no relation with organic chemistry and usda organic. Also chopping down pine tree forests or using plants to extract their terpenes really is not that “green”. Ethanol is the most "green"solvent you can use aside from water.
4 Likes
Ethanol is a green solvent?
I though it meant I’d done the extraction wrong when my solvent turned green.
5 Likes
Very funny! 
3 Likes