n-Pentane

Product Specifications

Pentane is a highly non-polar, light hydrocarbon solvent, that acutely dissolves THC instead of plant matter. With a boiling point of 36 degrees celsius, this solvent might be a bit heavier than butane but still functions well for cannabis applications. It can be found as an impurity in butane, but residual pentane is not a major concern as long as the oil is purged thoroughly, with lots of surface area for the solvent to escape from. In the face of a growing distaste for solvents and an increasing concern for patients with immune complications though, it should be noted that pentane is actually less toxic than butane.

Some CBD isolates use pentane, with at least one lab test reporting 419 ppm of residual pentane.  Most pentane manufacturers claim their 98% pure pentane consists of less than 3 mg/kg benzene, 1 mg/kg sulfurs, and 5mg/kg of other aromatics. If a processor hopes to produce safe extracts on a commercial scale with this solvent, they will have to distill it first to clean up those impurities.