I have been making D8 from CBD for some time now and I’ve seen other people making really light colored distillate. Mine comes out very lightly colored but after a day (even sealed in an airtight container), it becomes a dark red/amber color. I’m assuming this is from oxidation. What are ways, that y’all know of, to keep this from happening?
What kind of container are you using? Any chance you have the ability to seal it under N2 atmosphere?
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It is a 2L media bottle with a rubber seal screwcap. I have tried just pumping nitrogen in for a minute then quickly screwing the cap on. Barbaric, I know, but its the best I have right now.
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To really stop oxidation without additives the only option is remove or displace oxygen. Inert gas purge is your best option.
Nitrogen purge would be my first move but to completely remove oxygen from the environment before packing you are going to need something like a glovebox.
Basically put your filled containers in here uncapped, and get an oxygen sensor. Purge the box with nitrogen until your oxygen sensor reads ~0 and then cap.
Alternatively you could use argon as it is heavier than oxygen and will displace the oxygen in the container, creating a blanket. This is used widely in the wine industry.
With argon you could gently blow it into the container and then cap without worry of it escaping or remixing with air before you close it.
As will all things including gas (especially argon) do this in a large open space with good ventilation, these inert gases are not toxic or flammable but both can lead to asphyxiation if a tank is left on or decides to leak. Bonus points if you have an oxygen monitor where you store your tanks.
Edit: This is even a cheaper option to completely remove O2
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That’s literally what the sealing machines do. The only better thing are the ones that drop liquid N2 in then seal to ensure no air.
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If it’s more than just the very top, you have another issue.
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I’ve noticed if ph is acidic it turns pink or red after it cools. Maybe both in your case?
Take a few grams of d8 mix with solvent test ph.
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second that. oxidization in a very thin layer at the top would be correctable with N2 filling/sealing etc, if it’s the entire product changing color it’s something to do with the product itself and N2 filling probably won’t do much (it certainly won’t hurt though). you’d want to pursue other reasons, i as well would suspect ph.
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To prevent oxidation, never let oxygen touch the material. Only handle the material in an inert atmosphere. Ideally put your jar into a vacuum oven on full vac while hot, than immediately transfer to a glove box. Bonus points for having a vacuum oven inside of a glove box. After vacuum oven, bubble argon through the jar, than vacuum it again. Fill the head space with argon, tightly seal the bottle. Wrap parafilm around the lid, than seal in a bag filled with argon. Place the bag into a can also filled with argon and seal it well. Wrap the lid of the can with parafilm or similar sealing film. I would be amazed if this process didn’t stop all oxidation! I personally don’t go to these lengths, and no one probably does, but than again I still get oxidation if the bottles sit for awhile.
After I backfilled my whole lab with n2 and required all techs to wear oxygen tanks we’ve never had an oxidation issue again. Our chance of explosions are pretty much non existent too!
Pretty cool little trick not many will implement.
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Iv seen packaging machines that use nitrogen to displace the oxygen then seal that bag?
Definately not cheap but gives long shelf life
What acid are you using for your conversion? If you didn’t do a good enough liquid-liquid extraction you very well could co-distill with you cannabinoid fraction (especially p-tolyl sulfanilamide acid) and it can degrade your product over time.
If the whole thing is oxidizing then you might have moisture or acids in the oil. If the top is oxidizing you can add a terpene to protect the top layer
Jesus christ on an OCD trip, you’re doing too much. Vacuum seal, and you can leave it out for months. Nitrogen seal it, and you’ll never see it oxidize.
Bonus points for having a vacuum oven inside of a glove box.
Have you taken your meds?
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Lol it was a joke
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So I’m using pTSA but I live in Florida so I think the sheer humidity of this swamp state is turning the monohydrate pTSA into not-so-monohydrate pTSA. Even after opening the sealed container, there has been lots of clumping of the crystals and once, even small droplets of water on the inside of the bottle. I have tried buying pTSA from many suppliers (Sigma, Spectrum, etc.), but they always come slightly hydrated. I have been sure to get anhydrous or monohydrate but it always results in the same.
I tried an acid-less run and it came out way better with a very light amber color. Also, my total cannabinoid content went from 70% to 99.89%.
Are you doing a ton of water washes? What’s your procedure?
Sounds to me like you’ve got trace acid in there.
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Sounds like pH is too basic after quenching… neutral is not necessarily neutral. 
I have seen every color of the rainbow come from the pTSA process and some of the clearest d8 ever also.
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Do u seal with some N2 bakc pressure behind?