Portable Cannabinoid Sample Preparation by Simplified Liquid Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for preparing Cannabis flower and concentrate samples for cannabinoid analysis require specialized skills, equipment, and toxic solvents, making them unsuitable for non-laboratory environments or quick analysis.
Innovation Solution
A simplified liquid extraction process using portable balances, disposable syringes, and electromechanical shakers, along with less-toxic solvents, allows for rapid sample preparation in non-laboratory settings, reducing the need for complex equipment and hazardous chemicals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional liquid extraction methods are used with toxic solvents like chloroform and methanol, then extraction efficiency is improved, but safety hazards and equipment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the extraction solvent from toxic compounds (chloroform, methanol) to safe, food-grade substances (coconut oil, MCT oil). This parameter change maintains extraction efficiency for cannabinoid compounds while eliminating toxicity concerns, allowing the process to be performed in non-laboratory settings without specialized safety equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable alternatives for equipment and materials that would otherwise require specialized laboratory infrastructure. The use of disposable syringes for solvent delivery and simple filtration methods with disposable materials eliminates the need for expensive, dedicated extraction equipment, reducing both cost and complexity while maintaining extraction effectiveness
2Reliability
If conventional liquid extraction with multiple steps is used, then extraction completeness is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates preliminary grinding of the cannabis sample to increase surface area before extraction begins. This preliminary action ensures that the extraction process is more efficient and completes faster, as the increased surface area allows for more rapid solvent penetration and compound dissolution, reducing the overall extraction time while maintaining completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs continuous agitation during the extraction process using simple shaking or stirring motions. This continuous action ensures that fresh solvent constantly contacts the sample material, maintaining high extraction rates throughout the process and achieving complete extraction in shorter time periods compared to static extraction methods
3Measurement precision
If conventional sample preparation with multiple steps is used, then analysis accuracy is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple preparation steps into a single integrated process. Grinding, extraction, and filtration are performed in sequence without intermediate processing steps, and the final extract is ready for analysis. This merging of steps maintains accuracy by ensuring proper preparation while dramatically simplifying the operational procedure and reducing the potential for errors during sample preparation
Solution Approach 2:
The extraction process is designed to be self-regulating and self-indicating. The natural properties of the sample and solvent provide visual cues for extraction completion, and the process requires minimal operator intervention or specialized knowledge. This self-service approach maintains preparation quality while making the process accessible to operators without specialized training
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables quick and accurate sample preparation for cannabinoid analysis outside laboratories, using solvents compatible with analytical instruments, and reduces the complexity and time required for sample preparation while maintaining extraction efficiency and repeatability.
Implementation Method 1
Liquid extraction provides at least two benefits as an analytical sample preparation method. First, it can separate out any non-extractable components that might interfere with the desired analysis
Implementation Method 2
5. Sonicate the sample and solvent for 30 minutes.
Data Source
AI summary
Various approaches preparing Cannabis flower samples for analysis of cannabinoid content, the method comprising the steps of weighing the sample in a portable or benchtop balance; adding, to a container, the weighed sample and a solvent; agitating the vial and thereafter extracting a liquid component therefrom; and analytically analyzing the sample using the solvent based on the weight and a volume of the extracted liquid.