A popular method of extracting properties from plants is solvent extraction. Solvent extraction involves using a solvent to absorb a compound from a plant and then evaporating it out. In many cases, hydrocarbons are used as the solvents during this process. Many different types of hydrocarbons can be used to facilitate the process of solvent extraction. To learn about some of the different types of hydrocarbons for plant extraction, continue reading.
Butane
One of the most popular hydrocarbons used for plant extraction is butane. Butane is an alkane hydrocarbon that has a low boiling point of around 30.20 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to its low boiling point, it does not require extreme pressures or temperatures in order to be recondensed. As such, more stable plant extracts can be created, since high temperatures—which can often degrade the final product—don’t need to be used throughout the process.
Another beneficial aspect of using butane for plant extraction is that it’s a gas at room temperature. Because of this, it’s able to easily evaporate from the concentrate without leaving behind a large amount of toxic residual solvent in the final product.
Propane
Another extremely popular hydrocarbon used for plant extraction is propane. Like butane, propane is a gas at room temperature. As such, it leaves behind minimal residual solvent in the final extract or concentrate. The process of using propane as the solvent for plant extraction is very similar to that of using butane, but there are some differences. For example, propane has a much lower boiling point of -43.60 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to its lower boiling point, much higher pressures are created during the process, which allows the solvent temperature to remain far lower without losing pressure.
Naphtha
Naphtha is a flammable liquid that contains a variety of hydrocarbons. It’s created through the dry distillation of organic substances such as petroleum or coal, and it has a similar appearance to gasoline. Naphtha is used as a solvent for the purpose of extraction in some applications. Because it’s considered a hazardous substance, however, using it as a solvent to create edible plant extracts can pose a safety risk if any residual solvent is left behind.
