Color Remediation Chromatography: The Pros and Cons

Positives of CRC

Removal of Impurities

 One of the main goals of color remediation chromatography is to remove the impurities that are present in the cannabis oil. An impurity can be many different things from chlorophyl to fats and lipids. In extreme cases the cannabis oil may be contaminated with heavy metals or even pesticides! All these impurities effect the color, as well as the purity of the cannabis oil. By having your oil filtered through the CRC process your result will be an oil that vastly improved in both color and potency and is filtered to be clean of any impurities.

Enhanced Experience

One’s experience consuming a cannabis oil, which is more commonly referred to as extracts or concentrate has big difference between methods of ingestion. For those that enjoy vaping or dabbing their cannabinoids, choosing an extract that has been through the CRC process can be an elevated experience. From having a potentially better flavor, to higher THC%, to cleaner resin that doesn’t Chazz the banger, CRC extracts are becoming an increasingly popular choice!

For those who consume cannabis edibles, CRC concentrates make a big difference too! To make the isolate or distillate that goes into your edibles that oil must first be filtered and purified through the different processes of filtering. One process commonly used is CRC to filter to clean the oil before the isolation or distillation process.

Improvement of Color

Appeal is what draws us to favor something. Typically, the more attractive or appealing something is the more likely we are to want to interact with it, cannabis extracts are no exception. Whether you’re a consumer looking to purchase the nicest looking product on the shelf or a lab technician creating these products, one thing remains the same, color and clarity are desired. The use of CRC will take an extract that is less than appealing and remove its impurities improving not only the color, but also the aroma, potency, as well as consistency!

Decrease in Post-Processing Time

By utilizing the practice of CRC on biomass, lab operators will save themselves countless hours if not days of processing, while in the preparation stages for the cannabis extract to be distilled or isolated. By first removing most common impurities through the CRC process, all post processing procedures such as winterization, LLE, and water washes will become a breeze. In fact you may find that some of your previous purification steps are now unnecessary due to the oil being so clean from the process of CRC alone.


Negatives of CRC

Improperly Labeled
 This category more appropriately should be labeled deceit, with some back story for your enjoyment. While the CRC process can enhance and improve many cannabis oils, some oils simply are meant to move on an additional processing to become a viable and enjoyable product. Many consumers are aware that if a cannabis extract got filtered, it was filtered for a reason. Cannabis oil starts in the garden where the plant grows, the oil can only be as good as the crop that is grown. General idea here is the nose knows, if it smells bad as a plant why would it be better as an extract? You’re only going to multiply the aroma/taste from the crop.  If the crop grown is less than desirable the only feasible solution is to harvest the psychoactive compound in which the plant is grown for, THC/A, this is achieved through distillation/isolation. These processes will remove all desirable aroma and taste from your cannabis concentrate, hence if there was never a good taste in the crop filtering it will not magically make it taste good.

Unfortunately, cannabis concentrate companies have discovered CRC as a way to hoodwink the unknowing consumer and sell these undesirable crops as a wax/sugar/budder to be consumed via vaping or dabbing.  This creates a magnified experience of being misled on what a quality cannabis concentrate is. While yes, the product is clean from its original undesirable state, it is now too clean, leaving no flavor or experience for the end user leading us to our next topic.

Over Remediated
To pick up where the last topic left off, over remediated hash is what provides CRC concentrates with a skewed view. Most generally a cannabis concentrate producer will know whether a specific cannabis concentrate meets the acceptable standards for their products. If a cannabis extract is over remediated it is stripped of what are called terpenes. Terpenes are what bring cannabis concentrates alive. They provide color, flavor and aroma. Without them we are simply working with the psychoactive medium of cannabis THC/A. The refinement of the terpenes can drastically enhance and purify the cannabis extract producing very enjoyable product for consumption. However, if you were to over refine the extract and remove all the terpenes, you are left with just the THC/A resulting a subpar and bad tasting experience. This is not limited to dabbing and vaping cannabis concentrates, this also effects consumers of edibles. Terpenes are what provide the “full-spectrum” effect. This can best be explained as a catalyst to the general effect of THC/A, this catalyst is typically described as an indica or sativa affect, or more simply an up or down feeling is associated with the general psychoactivity of THC/A.

To wrap this up, dabbing and vaping are all about experiencing the terps. They provide the flavor, the difference in effects, they provide the experience. Without them you are left with a hollow product leaving your end consumer disappointed and confused. If the product is over remediated send it on down the line for further processing.

Increased Lab Labor
To re-hash what we learned above, additional filtration of cannabis requires extra work. It’s just that simple. Nonetheless, with a knowledgeable approach to difficult biomasses, as well as a found understanding of CRC, a vast majority of this lab labor can be avoided. Absolute Filtration Systems has made CRC filtering easier than ever before with our Patented Filter Cartridges. Our CRC filter cartridges come packed full of CRC media ready-to-use, keeping your concentrates and lab operator safe from the CRC Media encapsulated inside.  We provide over 10 different blends to choose from, you never have to worry about over remediating your hash again. Save those terps for your consumers 👍