Fast And Simple Ultrasonic Cannabis Extraction
- To meet the rising demand and to supply cannabinoids of high quality, an efficient and reliable cannabis extraction method is substantial. Ultrasonic extraction is proven to shorten the extraction time and to increase yield considerably.
- With power ultrasound, cannabis extraction gets faster, more complete and highly efficient. The ultrasonic extraction is simple and reliable.
- Hielscher manufactures ultrasonic extractors for the isolation of cannabinoids in lab to full industrial scale.
Ultrasonic Extraction of Cannabinoids and Terpenes
Ultrasound-assisted extraction is a long-time proven and industrially established extraction technique, which is known for high extract yields, rapid processing and simple operation. Sonication applies intense shear forces and stress to the medium thereby breaking cell walls of the cannabis plant material. From the broken cells, high amounts of bioactive compounds such as cannabinoids are efficaciously released within a very short extraction time. This means that the extraction process of active substances such as cannabinoids and terpenes from the cannabis plant can be substantially increased by ultrasound.
Ultrasonic extraction can be performed with a broad variety of solvents. Depending on its subsequent use, active substances from cannabis are extracted e.g. in butane, CO2, propane, etc, when the extracts are utilized for inhalation. For the preparation of extracts for oral ingestion, ethanol, cyclohexane, isopropanol, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. are preferred as solvents.
Hielscher Ultrasonics offers you the suitable extraction equipment – whether you need a small or mid-scale extractor, a pilot or an industrial system, Hielscher ultrasonicators meet your requirements.
Ultrasonicator UP400St with stirrer for cannabis extraction
- short extraction time
- high extraction rate
- To'liqroq ekstraktsiya
- mild, non-thermal treatment
- easy integration and safe operation
- no hazardous / toxic chemicals, no impurities
- arzon
- energy-efficient
- green extraction: environmental-friendly
Hielscher Ultrasonicators for Cannabis Extraction – Scientifically Proven Efficiency!
Casiraghi and colleagues from the Italian Universiy of Milan compared three cannabis extraction methods: ultrasonic extraction, Soxhlet extraction and maceration.
The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of ultrasonic extraction for the extraction of cannabinoids from cannabis sativa and to compare it with other extraction methods, such as Soxhlet extraction and maceration.
The researchers used the Hielscher ultrasonic processor UP200Ht (see picture left) for the extraction process, and they found that the ultrasound-assisted extraction method was more effective in extracting cannabinoids than the other two methods. Ultrasonic extraction was also faster, more efficient, and less labor-intensive than the other methods.
The extraction was performed using olive oil as the solvent. The plant material was added to the solvent and sonicated for 10 minutes at 60% amplitude with the ultrasonicator UP200Ht.
After the sonication step, the extract was filtered and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure to obtain a concentrated extract. The extract was then analyzed for cannabinoid content using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Overall, the results of this study showed that ultrasonic extraction of the cannabinoids CBD and THC in oliveoil is an effective method for extracting cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa plant material, with high yields and purity.
One of the advantages of ultrasonic extraction using the UP200Ht is that it can produce higher yields of cannabinoids in a shorter amount of time than traditional extraction methods. The researchers also noted that ultrasonic extraction was a more environmentally friendly method compared to other extraction methods, as it requires less solvent and energy. Additionally, ultrasonic extraction can be easily scaled up for industrial production, making it a promising method for large-scale production of CBD extracts.
In conclusion, the study suggests that ultrasonic extraction using the UP200Ht is a promising method for the extraction of cannabinoids from cannabis sativa for medicinal purposes.
(cf. Casiraghi et al., 2022)
Ultrasonic extraction is a highly efficient method to extract cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. Olive oil was used as solvent, ultrasonic extraction was performed with the UP200ST.
(picture and study: © Casiraghi et al., 2022)
Sonication and Extraction Conditions
Sonication Process of Cannabis
The ultrasound-assisted extraction is based on repeating high pressure and low pressure cycles. These alternating high pressure and low pressure cycles of 20,000 times per second of sonication create intense shear forces and liquid jets. This extreme stress overcomes the selectivity of membrane, perforates and breaks the cell wall, and results in a high mass transfer between the inner cell and the surrounding solvent. By ultrasonic extraction, higher yields and shorter extraction durations can be realized. Since ultrasonic extraction is a reproducible process, the extraction results can be repeated for a standardized extract quality.
Hielscher’s ultrasonic extractors give you full control over the important extraction parameters. By adjusting amplitude, duration, pressure and liquid composition, the output of the extraction process can be precisely controlled and reproduced.
Solvents for Cannabis Extraction
All common solvents can be used for your ultrasonic extraction. Depending on whether the extracts are produces for oral or inhalation pharmaceuticals, analysis, quality control or other purposes, certain solvents are particularly suitable for specific purposes. Ultrasonic extraction allows for the use of various solvents including water, solvents and oils (e.g. H2O, CO2, ethanol, methanol, butane, propane, olive oil, coconut oil etc.).
Ekstraktsiya harorati
Best results for ultrasonically assisted extraction of plant extracts (e.g. active compounds from herbs, medicinal plant etc.) are achieved at a process temperature between 0-60°C. The ultrasonic extraction is a non-thermal and thereby mild method so that the extracted active ingredients are prevented from degradation.
Combined Extraction Methods
The ultrasonic extraction can be easily combined with pressure, heat, supercritical extraction conditions or Soxhlet extractor to improve results and/or adapt the extraction setup to specific requirements. The retro-fitting of an ultrasonicator into an existing cannabis extraction facility is of special interest, if an existing extraction method does not perform with the desired performance and output.
Already existing extraction machines can be easily upgraded by implementing an ultrasonic extractor. We would be glad to assist you with the installation to retro-fit an ultrasonicator into your extraction setup.
Read more about ultrasonically improved supercritical CO2 extraction!
Application Fields for Ultrasonic Cannabis Extraction
Cannabinoids, terpenes and other active ingredients of the cannabis plant are extracted for manifold purposes. The ultrasonic extraction is a trusted method to gain extracts of the cannabis plant for
- medical/ pharmaceutical production
- recreational cannabis products
- nutraceutical and food production
- before downstream processing, e.g. nano-emulsification
- drug potency testing
- forensic/chemical analysis
ultratovushli ekstraktorlar – For Small and Large Scale
Hielscher Ultrasonics is your partner for high-performance ultrasonic extraction equipment. Whether you want to produce smaller batches of high-quality CBD extracts for your boutique brand or process large quantities of hemp or marijuana on industrial scale – Hielscher Ultrasonics has the ideal ultrasonic extraction equipment for you!
Linear scalability and precise process control allow for reliable outcomes at any level. Read more about the scale-up of ultrasonic extraction processes!
We help you: Our Process Consulting & Service
Hielscher Ultrasonics is long-time experienced with ultrasonic processing and has a deep going understanding of ultrasonic extraction processes. We assist you with recommendations for the most suitable ultrasonicator for your process and educate you how to use our devices most efficiently. Our engineers are available for installations service, worldwide.
In our fully equipped ultrasonic process lab in Germany, our team of process engineers and chemists is able to develop and optimize your process for you or with you together.
Ultrasonic extraction of botanicals with ultrasonicator UP400St
Adabiyot/Adabiyotlar
- Casiraghi A., Gentile A., Selmin F., Gennari C.G.M., Casagni E., Roda G., Pallotti G., Rovellini P., Minghetti P. (2022): Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Cannabinoids from Cannabis Sativa for Medicinal Purpose. Pharmaceutics. 14(12), 2022.
- Da Porto, C.; Natolino, A.; Decorate, D. (2015): Effect of ultrasound pre-treatment of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seed on supercritical CO2 extraction of oil. J Food Sci Technol 2015 Mar 25;52(3):1748-53.
- Djenni, Zoubida; Pingret, Daniella; Mason, Timothy J.; Chemat, Farid (2012): Sono–Soxhlet: In Situ Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Food Products. Food Analytical Methods. 2012.
- Karami, Z.; Yousefi, G.; Alipour, M.; Emam Djomeh, Z.(2013): Modeling and Optimization of Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction (UAE) of Oil from Cannabis with RSM.
- Suslick, K.S. (2001): Sonoluminescence and Sonochemistry. Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology; R.A. Meyers (ed.): Academic Press, San Diego, 2001.
Basic Information
ultratovushli ekstraktsiya
Power ultrasound is a proven method for efficient and reliable extraction of active compounds including herbal/ medicinal compounds, oil, proteins and bioactives (e.g. flavones, polyphenolics, anthocyanin, aroma) from botanicals, herbs, flowers and seeds.
For ultrasonic extraction, powerful ultrasound waves are coupled into the plant-solvent mixture, so that acoustic cavitation occurs. Acoustic cavitation is described as the ultrasonically caused formation, growth, and implosive collapse of bubbles in liquids.
“During cavitation, the collapse of bubbles produces intense local heating and high pressures, with very short lifetimes. In clouds of cavitating bubbles, these hot-spots have equivalent temperatures of roughly 5000 K, pressures of about 1000 atmospheres, and heating and cooling rates above 1010 K/s. In single bubble cavitation, conditions may be even more extreme. Cavitation, then, can create extreme physical and chemical conditions in otherwise cold liquids. If liquids containing solids are irradiated with ultrasound, related phenomena can occur. Near an extended solid surface, cavity collapse becomes non-spherical, which drives high-speed jets of liquid into the solid surface. These jets and associated shock waves can cause substantial surface damage and expose fresh, highly heated surfaces. In addition, high velocity inter-particle collisions will occur during ultrasonic irradiation of liquid-powder suspensions through cavitation and the shockwaves it creates in such slurries. The resultant collisions are capable of inducing dramatic changes in surface morphology, composition, and reactivity.” [Suslick 2001: 2f.]
These intense conditions of ultrasonic cavitation have several effects on plant material and their extractability:
- overcome of cell membrane selectivity
- increased mass transfer between cell inside and surrounding solvent
- cell breakage
- release of intracellular material
This makes sonication a highly effective extraction method. Due to the intense mechanical forces, often green and mild solvents such as water, ethanol etc. can be used.
Ultrasonic extraction shortens the extraction time and allows for a reduced and/ or milder solvent use. This means, ultrasonic extraction results in higher extraction rates and produces healthier extracts. This is due to the characteristics of its operation at low temperature both to reduce heat loss caused by temperature factors, but also to avoid the vaporization of substances due to low boiling point and also to maintain biological active substances.
Another advantage of ultrasonic extraction lies in it simple and safe use and its precisely controllable application. As a non-thermal extraction method, sonication can be carried out at low temperatures so that the degradation of heat sensitive, heat-labile substances is avoided.
Ultrasonic Processing: Hielscher supports you from feasibility and optimization to commercial production!