Extracting limonene using liquid carbon dioxide

Extracting limonene using liquid/supercritical carbon dioxide

Category:

Education

Tags:

• green
• chemistry
• supercritical
• carbon
• dioxide
• extraction
• natural
• product

[freakin1random]

CO2 is toxic....if thats all you can breath :D

Anyway, how much would the pressure raise for a certain volume of dry ice? I have some containers for gas that have unscrewable lids that are pressure rated. I was wondering how much ice i could safely use to do this AND have it be a liquid.

[lowlevelpanic999]

I'd be wary of using different containers. These tubes are safe because they deform as the pressure builds up, allowing gas to leak and preventing dangerous pressures being reached.

If you are going to try it, make sure you give it lots of space!

[AbsintheOnYT]

So, how could this be leveraged to safely conduct this "at home." Certainly a 2 liter would be great since then you get to recycle one more item. However, it seems that quickly becomes a dry ice bomb.

[lowlevelpanic999]

I would suggest not scaling it up - the bigger the apparatus, the bigger the bang if it goes wrong!

[LHCb42]

Exactly what kind of vial did you use? Is that just a 15-mL plastic screw-cap conical tube?

[lowlevelpanic999]

It's a 15ml centrifuge tube from Fisher Scientific.

[fireflame65]

so if i stuck weed in that tube.....would i get oil?

[cfkg112]

fifty degrees of celcius or farenheit

[UniSotonChem]

Each experiment will get you a few drops of limonene (make sure the peel is well shredded). The quantity you see in the video clip actually came from 3 separate extractions in the same tube (forgive my use of artistic licence!).

[UniSotonChem]

I just screwed the cap on (not too tight). Yes, deformation of the tube allows some of the gas to escape, but keeps the pressure high enough for the CO2 to become a liquid. I couldn't tell you the pressure value, but it works!

[UniSotonChem]

Not sure. I just crished the dry ice and used enough of it to fill the tube. There's not much there!

[UniSotonChem]

I wouldn't like to comment on this. On a big scale like this, there's the potential for excessive and rapid pressure build up. I wouldn't want to try it myself. If you do give it a go, keep well away from it!

[sshar1989]

What kind of yield did you have with the peels, How much Limonene were you able to extract?

[sshar1989]

@cfkg112 Probably Celsius since the school is in the UK.

[sshar1989]

How was the tube sealed? Any special o-ring in the cap or parafilm over the top? Or was it because the tube deformed slightly that the cap did not pop off because excess pressure was released? In that case how can the pressure be held high enough for the CO2 to become a fluid.

Thanks and great video!

[melvin0444]

Can i try with dry ice, and How many grams i take weight for make that? Thanks

[wellferreir]

CAN I DO IT USING 600ml PET?

[trentontrading]

Do you think it possible to scale up the volume for the purpose of extracting not only lemon essential oil but lavender, vanilla and other organic materials by using mason canning jars ? Canning jars are designed to release pressure build up during the cooking phase and then as it cools creates a vacuum seal for long term food storage.