The Supercritical CO2 extraction method is a great extractor of oils that are clean, pure and high quality. Because carbon dioxide is considered to be a tunable solvent, it’s a versatile method that allows the creation of a wide range of end products, like essential oils, nutraceuticals, concentrates and even decaffeinated coffee beans. But when it comes to cannabis extraction, the supercritical CO2 method is top notch. Here’s everything you need to know about CO2 extraction and why it’s something you want to look out for when choosing a cannabis product.

Efficient and Green

There are many CO2 extractors on the market and even more CO2-extracted CBD oil for sale. Some of these extractors have some very innovative processes that can greatly improve efficiency. Being able to safely create extracts in considerably less time than other methods is amazing. Some methods can take many hours and many of these involve harmful chemicals. Not only is CO2 efficient, it also allows for higher yields of extract. Using solvents requires more time and is more harmful to the environment. Using supercritical CO2 doesn’t endanger the environment when properly disposed of. 

High Quality

With CO2 extraction there is little to no need for post-production processing which means a cleaner end product. It also eliminates the need for the use of toxic chemicals like butane. When harmful chemicals are introduced to your end product, it can change the way the body absorbs, uses or makes use of the product. Another wonderful thing that you should know about CO2 extraction is that carbon dioxide is a sanitizing agent. This means that the final product will have a longer shelf life when stored properly. It allows for the extraction of both food and medical grade oils as well, because it gets rid of insects, insect eggs, microbial bacteria, mildew and other impurities that might be on the raw plant material. It also makes getting certified organic a little easier.

Tunable

When we say that the extraction is tunable, it means that it is possible to extract specific compounds from the cannabis. It allows us to harvest pure THC, CBD, CBG and other components safely and without the use of harmful chemicals. Because different compounds react differently to varying pressure and temperature, it is possible to target certain compounds while excluding others. Whether you’re looking for a full spectrum product or a singular compound, CO2 extraction is going to give you the best result.

There’s a lot of science involved in understanding the CO2 extraction process, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the benefits of choosing CO2 extracted cannabis products. The reality is that there are many, many cannabinoids that are largely under researched and supercritical CO2 extraction is one of the best ways to get to these components in a pure state. Knowing that you can depend on this extraction method to offer higher quality products will hopefully make you feel more confident when you’re choosing an extracted cannabis product.