If I was getting really fancy, I would collect all the terp fractions separately. Some thin film method would pull the this stuff off the top while I could use a syringe and collect the thicker liquids that collect lower down and at the bottom. Based on a little GC I am keeping light, medium, and heavy terps. The light are definitely the more aromatic, but it seems like the heavier ones have the unique flavors.
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So is the 7% terpenes a finished concentrate with ethanol below 5000ppm? or is this 7% terpenes part way through the process or near finished with the process but still possible 10% ethanol still in the extract.
Do you have pictures of your what you are collecting and final product?
Give me a day or two for pics, looks like oily shatter. Lots of terpenes make it more like wax. I can provide GCMS data. Shits been crazy but I’ve been running alot of gc. I can run 45 or more terpenes. I’ve been running alot of hemp for terpenes, I’m not in state to be running hot samples. I’ve been profiling hemp terpenes for a project. Anybody interested I can provide quantitative GCMS of terpenes and cannabinoid profiles. I only need ~gram, we are actively building a library.
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Below 5000 ppm, 7%. My extracts are never shatter, because the terps cause is to behave like wax/oil. I will occasionally go for diamonds if I have a strain that seems right and I receive fresh enough. My process is slow and selective. I have been tempted to collect terps, THCA, other cannabinoids as separate fractions but prefer a fuller spectrum product.
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This is pretty dope 
I’d love to get some GC data 
Nice work, didn’t think I’d see much in the ethanol field in the way of high terpene extracts
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GC is incoming. I have a couple, but covid-19 almost shut the lab down. I’ve seen some already, but they were quick dilutions where I’m not signing my name yet. But the lab is starting to open up to more samples. I’ll post a GC soon with Terps vs Cannabinoids with identification and quantification. Just been in a slower operating mode since the shit hit the fan.
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Pics in the next week or so, everything slowed down in the last couple of months. Pics through light on parchment paper. Different colors for each strain, but high enough in terpenes that you have to look at a light through parchment paper. Too many terps to reach a shatter consistency, but the flavor compensates for any perceived lack of quality due to oil/wax texture.
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Alright I’m still way behind. I’ll post pics and GCMS of Lemon Haze and Zkittels within the next few days. Lab’s been super tight, but I can finally get in safely. I’ve completely dried both samples, way under 5000ppm EtOH. They both stay soft because of too high of a terp concentration. More soon…
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In for the updates!
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Any pics? We’re all dying to see your work!
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Love the idea behind your gas sweeping tek. I want to try and rig up something similar so I can get a proof of concept working for my higher ups. I am currently trying to take the terp fraction of my sauce and remove the last bit of ethanol to get it low enough to blend into vape pens for a more strain specific vape. My question is what your initial % EtOH is in your extracts? 4 to 5 days to get from ?? to 5000ppm? My extract is currently sitting around 4% so if I could get that down to 1 or 2% I think I would be fine.
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I use a GCMS with the NIST database for identification. I agree with your statements about total terpenes and the majority of terpene testing in general to be flawed. But, how are you using a library to quantify?
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Oh, way higher! I start with straight ethanol extracted with more than enough EtOH, because I recover it. You can absolutely get below 1%.
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Depending on the NIST database you have a certain cross section will come back as common names, while another will be in IUPAC or some other ridiculousness. You have to really work at it and then you need to use selective ion monitoring to separate everything.
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This has been a crazy time and my first priority has been my family and my current obligations. I’ll see if I can get pics tomorrow, but GCMS will be next week for sure because I’m going out of town. Cheers and stay safe!
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I know I can get below 1% its just at what scale and time interval will it be most cost effective. Also what method is the fastest while also retaining terps. There are so many variables and different ways to go about this its hard to pick the best one.
I understand how to use it for identification. What I don’t understand is how you are calculating an amount from a matched spectra. All that will allow you to do is identify the compound. To quantitate you would absolutely have to run standards for each terp of interest and create a calibration curve for each. You can’t compare your peak area from your method, column, and instrument to a peak detected from an unknown method, column, and instrument.
Unless there is a step i’m missing I don’t see how you can confidently say you have 7% terps.
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Hey been doing alot of GCMS cbx and terp testing in EU from several different producers…
Our absolute winner was a industrial hemp rosin with 4.3%
Second was a etoh 72%cbx overall and 3.3% wich was oven dryied at 45 degrees.
The most common for etoh are levels from 0.7-1.5% crude dwpending on the decarbing step but we get a typical betacaypohyleene, humulene and myrcene profile, eich is due to the 110-130 deg decarb…
Im am very intrigued at the levels of your terps 7% is probally somekind of record… Let us know what ppms you have, that could be very decisive to test for perfection in terms of time etoh evap and levels.
If you have 1.5% terpenes in your plant and you have 7% in ur extract that means a more than 4.5x increase due to extraction condensation. Amazing.
Could you post results in the end? Molasess or even thinner?