BHO Extraction 101

BHO extraction is a highly efficient way to make dabbable cannabis concentrates. The extract that results from this process is referred to as "butane hash oil" or "butane honey oil." BHO extracts typically contain up to 90% THC.

BHO concentrates come in a wide range of textures including wax, shatter, budder, sugar, and sauce. They are popular with consumers for their potency and cost-effectiveness and can also be highly lucrative for extractors.

What Is BHO Extraction?

BHO extraction is a cannabis extraction method that uses purified liquid butane to dissolve the active compounds of the cannabis plant (cannabinoids and terpenes) and separate them from the plant material. The solvent is then evaporated off, leaving a highly concentrated extract. Propane, pentane, hexane, and/or isobutane are sometimes added to the mix to increase the effectiveness of the extraction process.

Butane is a great choice for hydrocarbon extraction because it has a boiling point of 31°F—at which point liquid butane turns into a gas. This means that it's easy to evaporate the butane off the cannabis oil after extraction. Butane's low boiling point also means it conserves more terpenes than other extraction methods like ethanol extraction, as ethanol has a much higher boiling point. The result of a colder extraction process is a more flavorful product.

BHO Extraction Equipment

Specialized equipment is needed to perform BHO extraction safely because this solvent is a highly flammable material. Commercial extractors will typically use:

• A closed-loop hydrocarbon extraction system that includes an extraction column, collection vessel, and additional components for recovering the residual solvent for reuse
• Dewaxers
• Filtration columns (used for CRC)
• Vacuum ovens
• Pressure vessels

The equipment must be housed in a C1D1 room with no sources of ignition. A C1D1 room is typically fitted with gas detection sensors and alarms, gas removal systems, and fire suppression equipment. When choosing a BHO extractor, you should also look for models that offer excellent cooling power and temperature consistency for the cleanest possible end product.

The BHO Extraction Process

Safe BHO extractions must be performed by licensed professionals using closed-loop extraction equipment as outlined above. The following is a simplified version of the process.

1. Grind, Sieve, or Wash Your Starting Material

A lot of folks process their cannabis plant material before BHO extraction to make the process more efficient. You can:

• 
  Grind dried and cured flower to increase its surface area
• Sieve dried and cured flower to remove most of the plant material and increase efficiency
• Wash fresh frozen flower in ice water to separate the trichomes from the plant material (for maximum extraction efficiency) and then freeze dry the hash to remove its moisture

Live (fresh frozen) starting material makes for an especially flavorful BHO extract referred to as "live resin." Making live resin leads to higher profit margins than non-live BHO extracts.

2. Pack the Extraction Column

Pack your whole or reduced biomass into the extraction column. The biomass should be packed so that it springs back when you press down on it. Too loose and the process won't be as efficient as it could be. Too tightly packed and you could have issues with channeling (when the solvent creates channels and doesn't pass through all of the cannabis in the material column). Another technique to prevent channeling is to add column internals like Pro-Pak®.

3. Run the Hydrocarbon(s) through the Biomass

Run the butane or hydrocarbon blend through the material column. It should look yellow at first. When the hydrocarbon runs clear, turn it off. The active compounds will have dissolved into the hydrocarbons and passed into the collection tank.

4. Filter the Crude Cannabis Oil (Optional Step)

Dark cannabis oil can be filtered through a color remediation column (CRC) to remove contaminants and lighten the color. These columns must be tested beforehand to ensure the filtration media removes contaminants effectively and doesn't allow any toxins to pass into the filtered oil.

5. Purge the Solvents in a Vacuum Oven

Place the cannabis oil into a ball jar and place this jar into a vacuum oven for purging. The higher temperature of the vacuum oven causes the hydrocarbons to turn into their gaseous state (appearing as bubbles in the oil).

The vacuum pressure then causes the butane gas to rise out of the oil and exit through a pipe for collection, condensation, storage, and reuse. The vacuum purging process is typically performed twice for effective hydrocarbon removal.

6. Process the Purged Extract

The purged butane hash oil can then be further processed to create a variety of textures and secondary products. Please note that THCA diamonds and sauce must be separated before vacuum purging. The diamonds and sauce are then purged separately.

7. Lab Testing, Packaging, and Distribution

All cannabis concentrates must be lab-tested before they can be sold in dispensaries. The required lab tests in many states include residual solvents. The acceptable threshold (in parts per million or PPM) varies from state to state.

Once your BHO extracts have passed lab testing, you can package them in airtight containers and distribute them to dispensaries. Please note that most BHO extracts are stable at room temperature. However, live resin (BHO made from fresh frozen cannabis material) should be refrigerated until sale.

Pros and Cons of BHO Extraction

BHO extraction offers several advantages and a few considerations to keep in mind.

Advantages of BHO Extraction

The main advantages of butane extraction include:

• Hydrocarbons like butane and propane are very effective at dissolving the desirable compounds in cannabis for potent full-spectrum extracts.
• Butane extraction is efficient.
• Butane extraction is easy to scale.
• The residual solvent can be removed effectively for a "clean" final concentrate.

Considerations with BHO Extraction

Keep the following points in mind when considering butane extraction:

• Hydrocarbons like butane are extremely flammable. The process must be carried out in an appropriate facility and performed with extreme care.
• Butane hash oil that is not purged properly after extraction could contain toxic amounts of hydrocarbons. This is dangerous for consumers and would cause your products to fail safety testing. Thorough vacuum purging is essential.
• Low-grade butane may be contaminated with xylene or toluene. These contaminants are also hazardous to human health [sources: CDC xylene overview, CDC toluene overview]. Be sure to use high-quality, purified butane for the extraction process.

How Butane Hash Oil Is Used

Butane hash oil can be dabbed, infused into joints, sprinkled on bowls, or decarboxylated and used in vapes, edibles, and topicals. Its versatility allows processors to manufacture and sell a diverse range of SKUs.

When producing derivative products from BHO such as vape carts and edibles, it's critical to ensure a precise dose of THC in every unit. A concentrate dispenser that dispenses an accurate pre-measured amount of BHO in every cart or mold ensures a consistent result that is more likely to pass potency testing.

Watch Your Profits Soar with BHO

BHO extraction is a lucrative undertaking for extractors who are in a position to invest in a certified C1D1 room and closed-loop extraction equipment. The scalability of this cannabis extraction method and BHO's popularity with customers make this a dependable source of income if you ensure quality from beginning to end.

You can expand your offerings for maximum revenue by creating secondary BHO products like vape carts, edibles, tinctures, and topicals. A concentrate dispenser will help you ensure an accurate and consistent dose.