Microwave-Assisted Industrial Scale Cannabis Extraction
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technologies Article Microwave-Assisted Industrial Scale Cannabis Extraction Marilena Radoiu 1,2,*, Harmandeep Kaur 1, Anna Bakowska-Barczak 1 and Steven Splinter 1 1 Radient Technologies Inc., Edmonton, AB T6E 6S4, Canada; [email protected] (H.K.); [email protected] (A.B.-B.); [email protected] (S.S.) 2 Microwave Technologies Consulting, 69140 Lyon, France * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +33-651-285174 Received: 10 July 2020; Accepted: 18 August 2020; Published: 21 August 2020 Abstract: Cannabis is a flowering plant that has long been used for medicinal, therapeutic, and recreational purposes. Cannabis contains more than 500 different compounds, including a unique class of terpeno-phenolic compounds known as cannabinoids. D9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the most extensively studied cannabinoids. They have been associated with the therapeutic and medicinal properties of the cannabis plant and also with its popularity as a recreational drug. In this paper, an industrial method for cannabis extraction using 915 MHz microwaves coupled with continuous flow operation is presented. The main advantages of the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) are associated to the continuous-flow operation at atmospheric pressure which allows for higher volumes of biomass to be processed in less time than existing extraction methods, with improved extraction efficiency leading to increased final product yields, improved extract consistency and quality because the process does not require stopping and restarting material flows, and ease of scale-up to industrial scale without the use of pressurised batch vessels. Moreover, due to the flexibility of changing the operation conditions, MAE eliminates additional steps required in most extraction methods, such as biomass decarboxylation or winterisation, which typically adds at least a half day to the extraction process. Another factor that sets MAE apart is the ability to achieve high extraction efficiency, i.e., up to 95% of the active compounds from cannabis biomass can be recovered at industrial scale. Keywords: THC; CBD; 915 MHz; continuous flow 1. Introduction Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the cannabaceae family with three main species: Cannabis sativa L., Cannabis indica L., and Cannabis ruderalis L., Figure1[1]. Cannabis has a long history of being used for medicinal, therapeutic, and recreational purposes. Cannabis is known, for example, to be capable of relieving nausea (such as that accompanying chemotherapy), pain, vomiting, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and of increasing appetite. The importance of cannabis in therapeutics is emphasized by the ever-increasing number of research publications related to the use of cannabis and its derived products to treat various indications [2–5]. Cannabis contains more than 500 different compounds, which include terpenes, flavonoids, lipids, sterols, chlorophyll, fatty acids, salts, sugars, and a unique class of terpeno-phenolic compounds known as cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids. More than 100 cannabinoids have been identified in different cannabis plant strains. Examples include D9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabinoldiolic acid (CBDA), cannabinolic acid (CBNA), cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), and cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) [5–7]. In fresh plant material, all cannabinoids are present in their acidic form. The acidic Technologies 2020, 8, 45; doi:10.3390/technologies8030045 www.mdpi.com/journal/technologies Technologies 2020, 8, 45 2 of 16 Technologiescannabinoids 2020, 8, x FOR can PEER be converted REVIEW into their decarboxylated (neutral) analogues (CBD, THC)2 of under 16 the influence of light, heat, or prolonged storage, by losing the relatively unstable carboxylic group (CBD, THC) under the influence of light, heat, or prolonged storage, by losing the relatively unstable in the form of carbon dioxide [8]. THC and CBD are the most widely studied cannabinoids and carboxylic group in the form of carbon dioxide [8]. THC and CBD are the most widely studied have been associated with the therapeutic and medicinal properties of the cannabis plant and its cannabinoids and have been associated with the therapeutic and medicinal properties of the cannabis associated products and also with its popularity as a recreational drug, as shown in Figure2. THC plant and its associated products and also with its popularity as a recreational drug, as shown in is mainly recognized for its psychotropic effects when consumed, but lately has also been found to Figure 2. THC is mainly recognized for its psychotropic effects when consumed, but lately has also effectively treat pain, muscle spasticity, glaucoma, insomnia, lack of appetite, nausea, and anxiety while been found to effectively treat pain, muscle spasticity, glaucoma, insomnia, lack of appetite, nausea, CBD is used to treat migraines, inflammation, seizures, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), depression, and anxiety while CBD is used to treat migraines, inflammation, seizures, irritable bowel syndrome insomnia, and anxiety [2,3,9]. CBD is non-psychoactive and is the major cannabinoid constituent in (IBS), depression, insomnia, and anxiety [2,3,9]. CBD is non-psychoactive and is the major hemp cannabis. cannabinoid constituent in hemp cannabis. FigureFigure 1. Cannabis 1. Cannabis plant plant [1]. [1]. TheThe terms terms hemp hemp and andmarijuana marijuana are classifications are classifications of cannabis of cannabis adopted adopted into into culture culture even even though though theythey do not do notrepresent represent legitimate legitimate nomenclature nomenclature for cannabis. for cannabis. Hemp Hemp and andmari marijuanajuana are both are both cannabis; cannabis; hemp,hemp, however, however, refers refers to cultivars to cultivars of cannabis of cannabis that that contain contain very very low low concentrations concentrations of psychoactive of psychoactive THCTHC (typically (typically less lessthan than 0.3% 0.3% by dry by dryweight). weight). Hemp Hemp (sativa) (sativa) is an is industrially an industrially grown grown plant plant that that is is cultivatedcultivated outdoors, outdoors, better better suited suited for warm for warm climates climates with with a long a long season. season. It is Itmainly is mainly used used to produce to produce textilestextiles from from the thefibre, fibre, and and foods foods and and supplements supplements such such as protein as protein and and essential essential fatty fatty acids acids from from the the seeds.seeds. Hemp Hemp seed seed oil is oil rich is richin unsaturated in unsaturated omega-3 omega-3 and andomega-6 omega-6 fatty fatty acids acids and andis almost is almost entirely entirely devoiddevoid of cannabinoids of cannabinoids [10]. [10 Marijuana,]. Marijuana, on onthe the other other hand, hand, is isoften often deliberately deliberately bred bred and and cultivated cultivated in in controlledcontrolled environmentsenvironments in in order order to optimizeto optimize the cultivar’s the cultivar’s characteristics, characteristics, including including the composition the compositionof cannabinoids of cannabinoids such as THC suchand as THC CBD. and Controlled CBD. Controlled growing growing and cultivation and cultivation is designed is designed to produce to producefemale plantsfemale that plants yield that budding yield budding flowers flower rich ins cannabinoidrich in cannabinoid content. content. The harvesting The harvesting of industrial of industrialhemp hashemp traditionally has traditionall avoidedy avoided the collection the collection of flowers of flowers to minimize to minimize the cannabinoid the cannabinoid content of contentindustrial of industrial products. products. This practice This practice is however is however changing changing as the production as the production of CBD from of CBD farmed from hemp farmedbecomes hemp legalized becomes in legalized more and in moremore jurisdictionsand more jurisdictions world-wide. world-wide. CannabinoidsCannabinoids are areparticularly particularly concentrated concentrated in the in theglandular glandular hairs hairs (trichomes) (trichomes) distributed distributed across across the thesurface surface of the of thecannabis cannabis plant. plant. These These trichomes trichomes are areparticularly particularly concentrated concentrated in the in thebracts bracts and and leavesleaves of the of thefemale female inflorescence. inflorescence. Resin Resin glands glands form form at atthe the tips tips of of these these trichome trichome stalks stalks and and secrete secrete an an aromaticaromatic terpenoid terpenoid containing containing resin resin with with a a very very high high content content of of cannabinoids. cannabinoids. Technologies 2020, 8, 45 3 of 16 Technologies 2020, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 16 Figure 2.2. MainMain cannabinoidscannabinoids in in cannabis cannabis sativa sativa plant; plant; (a) ( Femalea) Female flower flower with with visible visible trichomes; trichomes; (b) male (b) cannabismale cannabis flower flower buds [buds11]. [11]. The composition of cannabinoids in the plant may varyvary from species to species, as well as vary within thethe same same species species at di ffaterent different times andtimes seasons. and Furthermore,seasons. Furthermore, the concentration the concentration of cannabinoids of incannabinoids a plant may in depend a plant upon may soil, depend climate, upon and soil, harvesting climate, methodsand harvesting [12]. Thus, methods based [12]. on the Thus, composition based