Terpenes have a wide range of uses, ranging from taste and fragrance enhancement to health benefits enhancement with the help of terpene oil.
Terpene extracts may be combined to produce new tastes or recombined to mimic the flavors of your favorite cannabis strain. When taken in their purest form, terpenes have a powerful effect. In order to avoid adverse effects, you can’t use them immediately without making a terpene diluent. You must first dilute pure terpenes before using them.
This post explains how to dilute terpenes, what supplies you’ll need, and what’s the best way to make a terpene diluent yourself, all in one place.
Key Points: How to Dilute Terpenes
- Terpenes should be diluted to a concentration of less than 5% of the finished product volume.
- However, terpenes are soluble in alcohols, oils, and vegetable glycerin – but not in water.
- The skin and lungs may be damaged and irritated by concentrated terpene oil.
- Wear gloves and goggles to protect your eyes, mouth, and nose from terpenes.
What are Terpenes?
Terpene oil is found in the majority of plant species. There is a set of closely related phytochemicals that, in certain circumstances, give plants their distinctive smell and color.
Pollinators and natural predators are deterred from harming the plants, thanks to the protective effects of terpenes.
The seeding of clouds is aided by the application of these beneficial compounds. Their clumping together in the higher atmosphere makes them part of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Condensation and rain are also possible outcomes of these aggregates becoming water and ice droplets.
Why Dilute Terpenes?
Utilizing terpene oil in its true form may lead to a number of health problems due to the high concentration of terpenes they contain.
Alcohols, mono- and triterpenes, ketones, and more make up the majority of terpene oil. Because of their solvent-like properties, they may irritate the skin along with the mucous membranes, as well as injure them.
Why Dilute Terpenes matter
Terpenes in their undiluted form may have negative health effects. Some of the most common ones are:
- Skin allergies
- Skin irritation
- Irritation of the mucous membranes
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Seizures
If you want to use terpene oil in its purest and concentrated form, you should avoid doing so.
How To Use Terpene Diluent
Terpenes may be used in a broad variety of products due to their ability to be diluted. The sky’s the limit in this situation. Dilutions of terpenes are often used for the following purposes.
Terpenes in Aromatherapy
Using aromatic plant extracts and oils inhalation, topical application, or oral administration is all part of the practice of aromatherapy. It is an alternative medicine that aims to help people on all levels of their well-being, whether mental, spiritual, or physical.
Cooking With Terpenes
When using terpenes in cooking or baking, it is best to keep the temperature low. Each terpene oil has a different boiling point, so check the heat tolerance before adding any. If you’re unsure how much terpenes to use, it’s best to start with a little quantity.
Vaping With Terpenes
Adding terpenes to an e-liquid base or to dilute e juice with water is a frequent practice, whether it’s for the flavor or the effects. Inhaling terpenes that aren’t appropriately diluted may be harmful. A dilution of no more than three percent is recommended for vaporized items to allow for the possibility of an accidental overdose.
Terpene Oil vs. Essential Oils: What’s The Difference?
Essential oils and terpene oil are often mistaken for one other. More than 30,000 varieties of terpenes may be found in the plant world. Linalool, humulene, limonene, pinene, eucalyptol, caryophyllene, myrcene, bisabolol, and a few of other compounds fall into this category. Each one has its own distinct odor, flavor, and impact.
Instead, essential oils are concentrated extracts or “pure essences” of certain plants that are used in aromatherapy. Aromatherapy blends are available that include essential oils such as lavender and chamomile as well as essential oils such as peppermint and rosemary. The bulk of the phytochemicals in these oils are terpenes, however, there are several other compounds.
Tips to Extract Terpenes
Terpenes may be extracted and concentrated in a variety of ways from plants. The following are a few of the most typical examples:
Solventless Terpene Extraction
In the fragrance and essential oil industries, solventless terpene extracts are manufactured using the same methods that have been used for hundreds of years. Among the most common processes are steam distillation and hydrodistillation.
Solvent-Based Terpene Extraction
The performance of solvent-based techniques is superior. Hydrocarbons and gases like butane, nitrogen, ethanol, or CO2 are used in these processes. Methods like vacuums, which lower the temperature and hence prevent the destruction of the bioactive substances, are among these techniques. Carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction is one of the most prevalent methods of removing CO2.
Mechanical Extraction
Terpene extraction techniques that don’t need the use of solvents are now available. The terpene liquid part of the buds may be separated using the same mechanical presses that are used to manufacture Rosin, thanks to advancements in pressure and heat-based procedures.
However, mechanical extraction of terpenes does not totally remove cannabinoids from the terpenes, so they still retain some.
Summary
There are several ways to get terpene diluent from plants. Terpenes in concentrated form, on the other hand, are very strong. Before you really use them, you need to dilute those first.
Terpenes may be diluted in carrier oils or by mixing the distillate with coconut oil. They can also be added to goods like lotions, cannabis flowers, and even drinks.
Make careful to utilize a terpene concentration of no more than 10% by total volume if using more than 1%.
It is possible to employ terpenes in a variety of ways, from improving the health benefits of CBD oil, its scent, and taste, to spicing up food and beverages. Even your cannabis blossoms may be infused with terpenes. There is no limit to what may be achieved.
FAQ
Terpenes can be preserved via ethanol extraction?
Whenever the ethanol is withdrawn from the extract or distilled from the winterized oil, the terpenes are often destroyed. Several ethanol extractors are attempting to maintain the plant’s terpene composition in the oil they produce.
Are terpenes soluble in alcohol?
Several terpenes are insoluble in water, however, ethanol, chloroform, and diethyl ether are soluble.
Can you see terpenes floating while they’re in the water?
Keeping in mind that oil and water don’t mix is essential for success in any endeavor. Because of this, the terpene oil rises to the top of the finished liquid. The majority of the terpenes, it turns out, float to the top.
In what water form may terpenes be dissolved?
Most terpenes are insoluble in water, however, ethanol, chloroform, and diethyl ether are soluble. To test their action in live organisms, a dimethyl sulfoxide solution may be added to the buffer solution.
