Water-As-Solvent Technology, Explained

Essentia Scientific is a global solutions provider of hemp derived extracts leading the industry to a safer and more sustainable extraction method with their patented water-as-solvent technology.

There is a prevalent need in the cannabinoid industry for a cleaner and more sustainable way to extract cannabinoids from the raw hemp plant, and Essentia Scientific’s patented water-as-solvent technology delivers just that. Their proprietary process utilizes water as the solvent to produce a safer, more sustainable, consistent, and affordable output of high purity pharmaceutical grade cannabinoids, including the rare offerings of acidic cannabinoids at a mass scale. 

What is Water-as-Solvent technology? 

Essentia Scientific’s patented water-as-solvent technology leverages water to leach cannabinoids from the plant without the use of heat, harsh chemicals, or hydrocarbons; while successfully rejecting contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, microbial, and mycotoxins. The process can also effectively limit or remove the amount of THC yielding a more consistent and compliant product.

Benefits of water-as-solvent technology

Traditional extraction methods utilize harmful solvents, such as butane and ethanol, for extraction having an array of consequences that have impact on manufacturers, consumers, and the environment. By utilizing water as the solvent, Essentia Scientific’s process eliminates the consequences solvents like butane and ethanol bring and provides an array of advantages the industry needs.

When utilizing solvents like butane or ethanol remediation is necessary to rid the final product of volatile solvents that can be harmful to the consumers health. However, the techniques and solvents traditionally used tend to not discriminate against most pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Rather, the process tends to concentrate these compounds in the final extract, leaving trace amounts in the final product for consumers to ingest. To assist in the recovery of the volatile solvents vacuum distillation is often used. Unfortunately, the process does not fully rid the product of volatile solvents and can convert acidic cannabinoids to their neutral state by exposing them to heat, making it difficult or impossible to extract acidic cannabinoids, such as CBDA and CBGA, from the plant. Additionally, dehydration of the plant is often required for efficient extraction prior to adding the solvent. This causes the conversion of cannabinoids, or decarboxylation, to begin prior to the extraction, losing a large majority of acidic cannabinoids before the extraction even begins. By utilizing water as the solvent, Essentia Scientific’s process eliminates the need for heat, allowing for the extraction of high purity acidic cannabinoids at a mass scale with no trace residual volatile solvents in the final extract. 

Taste is an important factor when infusing cannabinoid-based products. We want them to taste good, not like the hemp plant, but the product it is infused in to. Concentrates from traditional extraction technologies typically have a robust hemp flavor that can be off putting to most, making it difficult to infuse into edible products. Often available in a solid form, not only is infusing difficult, but dosing is also impacted making it difficult to accurately dose the extract. With their water-as-solvent technology, Essentia Scientific’s extractions are odorless and tasteless, able to be easily infused into cannabinoid-based applications and their clearly water-soluble products are truly water-soluble. Traditional extracts use nano-emulsions or liposomes to create their “water-soluble” products. However, they form colloidal suspensions, separating overtime leaving sentiment in the final product. Essentia Scientific’s clearly water-soluble extracts form a true solution where the solvent and solute consist of a single phase, not separating overtime, and fully dissolve in water forming a clear and transparent solution.

By not using equipment for extraction that is typically expensive that uses high temperatures or pressure to accomplish cannabinoid extraction, Essentia Scientific’s process brings the industry a simple and inexpensive extraction process. The process also eliminates the need for expensive organic solvents which are potentially harmful and polluting for the environment, delivering the industry not only a more cost-effective option, but also one that is more environmentally friendly. When extracting cannabinoids with butane, pressurized butane is passed through the plant material. Residual solvents then evaporate from the concentrate under a vacuum and are typically released into the atmosphere. Though there are attempts to recycle the butane, they are not 100% effective, releasing hydrocarbons into the atmosphere and in turn causing environmental harm. Water is a true inorganic solvent that will not will not release harmful chemicals into the environment, creating a safer and more sustainable way to extract cannabinoids from the raw hemp plant. 

The Essentia Advantage 

With a team that has over 100 years of combined chemistry experience, Essentia Scientific is leading the industry to cleaner cannabinoid extraction with their patented water-as-solvent technology. By utilizing water as the solvent, Essentia Scientific can produce an array of high purity pharmaceutical grade cannabinoids, including the rare offerings of acidic cannabinoids, such as CBGA and CBDA, at a mass scale. Their process eliminates the need for harmful solvents and produces a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable cannabinoid extract that can easily be infused into any cannabinoid-based application and gives consumers consistent high-quality products they can count on.