• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Write For Us
  • Our Team
Extraction Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Botanical Extraction
    • Cannabinoids
    • Psychedelics
    • Nutraceutical
    • Product Refinement
  • Industry News
    • Business
    • Sustainability
    • Safety & Compliance
    • Partners
  • Extraction Technology
    • Equipment
    • Methods
    • Solvents
    • DIY Extraction
    • Analytical Techniques
  • Medical Research
  • Glossary
  • Business Directory
  • Botanical Extraction
    • Cannabinoids
    • Psychedelics
    • Nutraceutical
    • Product Refinement
  • Industry News
    • Business
    • Sustainability
    • Safety & Compliance
    • Partners
  • Extraction Technology
    • Equipment
    • Methods
    • Solvents
    • DIY Extraction
    • Analytical Techniques
  • Medical Research
  • Glossary
  • Business Directory
No Result
View All Result
Extraction Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Botanical Extraction

Valorizing Hemp Through Distillation

Derek Johnson by Derek Johnson
November 13, 2021
in Botanical Extraction
Valorizing Hemp Through Distillation

Industrial hemp plants need some type of processing for consumers to fully enjoy their many benefits, be it drying and curing, or extraction and product refinement. It, thus, behooves the industry to choose processing methods that maximize and even enhance the characteristics of freshly cut plants.

In a recent study, researchers took biomass samples from four types of cannabidiol (CBD)-hemp plants, including Cherry Wine, Red Bordeaux, Umpqua, and T&H, and subjected them to steam distillation. [1] Before discussing the results, it’s important to note that the dominant cannabinoids in freshly harvested plants are primarily in acid form. For example, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD, typically the two most sought-after cannabinoids, are actually tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). To become THC and CBD, decarboxylation — the process that occurs when a carboxyl group is removed from the acid through the application of heat — must occur.

READ ALSO

Turnkey Extraction and Purification Units for Cannabis Processing

Collaborative Approaches in Botanical Extraction: Bridging Science and Industry

The essential oil yield varied between plants, with Red Bordeaux and Cherry Wine producing the highest yields at 1.6 and 1.85%, respectively. Umpqua was third with 0.72%, and T&H produced only 0.37%, most likely due to the fact that the T&H biomass was chopped up and included all of the plant, containing stems, leaves, and flowers. Each of the essential oils had its unique cannabinoid and terpene profile, with caryophyllene, limonene, selina-3,7(11)-diene, and myrcene being the most represented terpenes. [1] T&H contained a whopping 30% of caryophyllene, and trans-α-bergamotene also was higher in T&H compared to the other three cultivars. Interestingly, α-humulene, α-bulnesene, (E)-α-bisabolene, caryophyllene oxide, and epi-α-bisabolol were also higher in the essential oil extracted from T&H compared to the other plants. Other interesting finds were higher levels of guaiol, 10-epi-γ-eudesmol, linalool, and bulnesol in Umpqua; (E)-β-ocimene and γ-elemene in both Cherry Wine and Red Bordeaux; α-guaiene in Umpqua and T&H; and β-bisabolene in all cultivars.

Minor cannabinoids of interest detected in the essential oils, including cannabicitran and cannabidivarin (CBDV) in the oil extracted from Umpqua, and CBC in Cherry Wine and Red Bordeaux.

The effect of steam distillation on the cannabinoid content of the post-distillation biomass was the true nugget of this study. Researchers found that the cannabinoid content in the four biomass samples increased, and these cannabinoids were in their activated forms, meaning decarboxylated. CBDA transformed to CBD, cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) converted to cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerolic acid CBGA decarboxylated to cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabidivaric acid (CBDVA) to CBDV.

When compared with biomass that was not distilled, the results were more than significant. Distilled Red Bordeaux biomass had 3.4 times more CBD than non-distilled; Cherry Wine was 5.6 times higher in CBD; Umpqua was 9 times higher; and T&H distilled biomass was 6-fold higher in CBD.

The distillation of the biomass prior to extraction enables valuable terpenes to be removed prior to subsequent processing steps where they may be lost. Additionally, extraction methods like supercritical carbon dioxide may require some extra time to pull out the more polar acidic cannabinoids compared to their neutral counterparts, which may have the concomitant effect of pulling out more undesirable constituents like waxes. Therefore, some extractors choose to decarb the biomass first. If that strategy is adopted, it makes sense to capture terpenes in the process.

What this study demonstrates is the ease at which significant valuation can be accomplished on basic biomass, one of the most necessary resources in the cannabis industry.

 

Image Source: https://www.maxpixel.net/Chemistry-Distillation-Science-Osmosis-2028602

Reference:

[1] Zheljazkov VD, Maggi F. Valorization of CBD-hemp through distillation to provide essential oil and improved cannabinoids profile. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):19890. [journal impact factor = 5.133; times cited = 0]

 

 

Related Posts

Turnkey cannabis extraction lab equipment integrating extraction, purification, and distillation in a single automated system
Botanical Extraction

Turnkey Extraction and Purification Units for Cannabis Processing

July 1, 2025
Wide angle view at two workers wearing protective suits while inspecting production at modern chemical plant, copy space
Botanical Extraction

Collaborative Approaches in Botanical Extraction: Bridging Science and Industry

June 7, 2025
Taxonomic Framework of Cannabis
Cannabinoids

The Taxonomic Framework of Cannabis: Nomenclature of Nugs

May 29, 2025
The Art of Extraction: Unlocking Nature’s Fragile Secrets
Botanical Extraction

The Art of Extraction: Unlocking Nature’s Fragile Secrets

May 15, 2025
Areca Catechu
Botanical Extraction

Inside the Betel Nut High: Exploring the Mind-Bending Effects of Areca Catechu

May 1, 2025
Kava leaves growing naturally
Botanical Extraction

The Chemical Secrets Behind Kava’s Effects

April 27, 2025
Next Post
Cannabis-Infused Wine & Beer

Cannabis-Infused Wine & Beer

LATEST ARTICLES

Cannabis oil and concentrates representing the booming extracts market projected at $16.6 billion in 2025

Cannabis Extracts Market Projected at US $16.6 B in 2025

July 7, 2025
Turnkey cannabis extraction lab equipment integrating extraction, purification, and distillation in a single automated system

Turnkey Extraction and Purification Units for Cannabis Processing

July 1, 2025
Transparent cannabis leave, sci-fi, futuristic-looking, in a lab setting.

AI & IoT‑Powered Process Control in Cannabis Extraction Is Here

July 1, 2025
Green Extraction Techniques

Green Extraction Techniques and Smart Solvents for Bioactive Recovery

June 25, 2025

Subscribe Now

Subscribe to our newsletter now to receive quick updates from us



    Background
    About

    Extraction Magazine is the trusted provider of botanical extraction news, ever-changing politics, cool gadgets and technologies, and methods for producing safe, ethical, and compliant formulations.

    Advertisers
    Navigation
    • Botanical Extraction
    • Industry News
    • Extraction Technology
    • Medical Research
    • Glossary
    • Business Directory
    Recent Posts
    • Cannabis Extracts Market Projected at US $16.6 B in 2025
    • Turnkey Extraction and Purification Units for Cannabis Processing
    • AI & IoT‑Powered Process Control in Cannabis Extraction Is Here
    • Green Extraction Techniques and Smart Solvents for Bioactive Recovery
    Subscribe to our Newsletter
    loader

    Sitemap

    © 2025 Extraction Magazine is the trusted provider of botanical extraction news and the leading media in the ever-changing extraction industry.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Industry News
    • Botanical Extraction
    • Medical Research
    • Medical Research
    • Glossary
    • Our Team
    • Write For Us

    © 2023 Extraction Magazine is the trusted provider of botanical extraction news and the leading media in the ever-changing extraction industry.