I have come across something I have not seen before. Our grow uses heavy amounts of essential oils to increase the veg cycle. But in extraction I have been having an issue fully remove VOC’s form the oil. There is a film that lives on the top of the oil that looks like an oil slick. As well as after winterization , roto and full decarb over night at 220 under full vac there is still 3400ppm of ethanol remaining. COA shows 93% THC 0% THCA and .65 CBN. The oil still smells like roses and eucalyptus. Any thoughts on how I can clean this up without further conversions. We have had some people report that after smoking the flower they get extremely light headed and have low blood pressure to the point of almost passing out and getting heavy sweats. This doesn’t happen to everyone but its being reported much more than usual?
…did you use these essential oils in flower?
They did in the feed
So they used these essential oils in the feed and they ended up in the flower? Were they foliar feeding?
no they use a bunch of different kinds in the water when feeding. no foliar feeding used in process.
What would be the purpose of using essential oils in this way?
Pass steam through the oil while you’re stripping in the roto.
I doubt wiped film is an option, but I wanted to mention it.
I like @highestzen s method but I’m unsure of how to introduce steam in a rotovap, never had it come up.
Edit: heated boiling flask connected at the feeding tube… That’s my guess without seeing it done before.
In 2020, if you told me that water got into the crude or distillate, I would have said to toss it, since I didn’t have a way to remove water.
Is it easy to remove water from crude or distillate now?
Yes, boiling flask in a mantle works as a steam generator. A needle valve will help control the flow rate. It’s very easy if you’re using decarb temps and vacuum. It’s even easier if you keep the steam as steam and not dropping liquid water into the evaporating flask.
I get headaches when neighbor sprays lost coast plant therapy. I always wondered why they do that in flower
You don’t get off, unless you cough
Why would you think it’s not?
Preach. So true Imo Lol
Hit it like you stole it
What do you consider full vac? What micron are you getting to?
Is there a reason you decarb at such low temperature? 220f I assume not 220c
Higher boiling point terpenes will remain liquid at the decarboxylation parameters you mentioned. You should be able to distill a gross first pass high boiling point terpene fraction out at a higher temperature at full vacuum. Wiped film first pass parameters should get them out if you run your feed speed fairly slow.
Btw, as mentioned above, 220F is pretty low temperature for decarboxylation when you are trying to remove terpenes. Try 265F full vac. I bet it will help but not completely remove the essential oils.
Give my decarb method a shot