Acetone extraction is a method of pulling substances out of a sample material, such as plant, by utilizing acetone as the extraction solvent.
What is Acetone?
Acetone is a chemical generally used to break down certain solutions or substances. It is a colorless liquid that is naturally occurring. Acetone is a non-toxic, organic solvent. It is generally safe, as it is found in many nail polish removers, paint removers and varnish removers found in households all over the world.
How does Acetone Work in Plant Extraction?
While acetone is good at breaking substances down, this function can be transferred to plant extraction to remove the desired substance from a sample material and to also remove unwanted contamination and impurities from the material. Typically, in acetone plant extraction a sample of the material containing the desired substance is ground up finely or into a pulp. This pulp is then mixed with acetone and is allowed to sit. The acetone solution will be drawn off and filtered to obtain the substance of interest. It is a fairly simple process.
What are the Benefits of Acetone in Plant Extraction?
There are many benefits to using acetone as a plant extraction solvent. It is naturally occurring and non-toxic making it very easy to obtain and very safe to use. Additionally, acetone has a very low boiling point making it possible to use as an extraction solvent at both room temperature and with heat. This chemical will evaporate more quickly than other solvents due to its very low boiling point and thus the process will take less time. Acetone is also generally cheaper than other solvents because it is so readily available.
What can Acetone Extract?
This chemical is extremely diverse in what it can extract. Acetone is able to complete extract:
- Resins
- Sulfur
- Mineral oils
- Waxes
- Pine tar
- Dyestuffs
- Organic accelerators
- Antioxidants
- Peptizing agents
Additionally, acetone is able to incompletely extract:
- Fatty oils
- Fatty acids
- Bitumen
- Asphalts
Questions about Acetone Plant Extraction?
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