| Step | Stage & Actions | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Preparation & Freeze/Thaw Place 50-100g of powdered plant material in a glass container, cover with filtered water, and apply a series of three freeze/thaw cycles. | This physical process helps to lyse (break open) the plant cells by the expansion of water as it freezes, making the target alkaloids more accessible. | | 2 | Acidification Transfer the thawed plant material to a 1-2L glass vessel. Add a solution of distilled water and an acid (e.g., vinegar or citric acid) to achieve a pH of 2-4. | This converts the target alkaloids into a water-soluble salt form, allowing them to be pulled out of the plant material and into the aqueous solution. | | 3 | Salination (Ionic Adjustment) Dissolve 70-80g of non-iodized salt (NaCl) in hot water, then add this saline solution to the acidic mixture. | The high concentration of salt increases the ionic strength of the solution. This "salting-out" effect can help force the desired alkaloids out of the water layer later in the process. | | 4 | Basification Dissolve approx. 40g of sodium hydroxide (lye/NaOH) in cool water (cool to prevent a violent reaction), and add it to the mixture to raise the pH to 12 or higher. | This converts the alkaloid salts back into their non-polar, solvent-soluble freebase form. | | 5 | Warm Incubation Place the sealed vessel in a warm water bath for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The glass should be cool enough to handle. | Mild heat increases the kinetic energy in the system, which can improve the efficiency of the chemical reactions and the solubility of the freebase alkaloids. | | 6 | Non-Polar Solvent Extraction Add a small volume of a non-polar solvent (e.g., naphtha or heptane) to the cooled mixture, gently mix to allow the solvent to come into contact with the aqueous layer, and then separate the two. | The target freebase alkaloids are highly soluble in the non-polar solvent and will preferentially migrate from the water layer into this new layer. |
Stir gently and check the pH. It must read . Let it rest in the warm bath for 1 hour. Step 5: Solvent Extraction (The Pulls) Add 50ml of warm Naphtha or Heptane to the black solution. cybs max ion tek pdf free full
Leave the dish undisturbed in the coldest part of your freezer for 12 to 18 hours. Crystals will begin to precipitate out of the cold solvent and stick to the glass. Step 7: Drying and Collection | Step | Stage & Actions | Purpose