Trichomes, plant matter, terps, wax, etc. What is contained where?

Just trying to get a better understanding of concentrates and the different methods for extracting different parts of the plant.

So first off, what is in a trichome? Obviously the thc, but what else? Is this where the terpenes are? I would assume yes since live hash rosin retains terps and starts with harvesting trichs only. Are there more terps in plant matter or mostly in the trichs?

What about the less wanted stuff like waxes and fats? Are these also coming from the trichs or the plant matter? Once again, it would seem they are in trichs since hash rosin has wax and fats, but maybe less than flower rosin?

Next question is what goes into solution when using a solvent like ethanol? I know that waxes and fats are dependent on temperature and come out of solution at cold temps, but what is happening with terps throughout this? Are they basically part of the wax portion and will stay with it when pulling out of solution using cold temp? Is there a way to separate the terps from waxes and fats?
I know thats a lot of questions, just trying to get a better understanding. Any input is appreciated.

The cannabinoids, most of the terpenes, cellulous, and some wax are in the trichomes.

https://graywolfslair.com/index.php/8-essential-oil-safety/sweet-mary-s-charms

Besides the wax cap on the trichomes, the entire plant is covered with a protective wax layer.


Terps are aromatic alkene alcohols, ethers and, ketones, et al, which go into solution with the alcohol at most temperatures.

Winterizing will separate the waxes and fats from the balance of the constituents like terpenes. You can also extract below about -50C and avoid picking them up in the first place.

I have tried to eliminate as much of the waxes, lipids, carboxylic acids and esters in the extraction process by using lighter hydrocarbon solvents, cryogenically treated sample matrix and filtration under high pressure thru 2 micron sintered metal. The stuff is so refined that I do not consider it to be full spectrum and yet too much dross remains for some commercial applications without further adjustments (calling bulls**t on that BTW).
It seems that what is in vogue is oil short-path distilled to pure then terps etc. added for flavor.
The more that you try to determine about this process, the more questions you will have.
How much is too much removal of compounds that add flavor and smoothness?

Fadedawg said:

The cannabinoids, most of the terpenes, cellulous, and some wax are in the trichomes.

https://graywolfslair.com/index.php/8-essential-oil-safety/sweet-mary-s-charms

Besides the wax cap on the trichomes, the entire plant is covered with a protective wax layer.

8.2 Plant Waxes - GrayWolf's Lair

Plant waxes are the protective cover between the plant cells and their environment, by which they regulate their water loss, and protect themselves from the […]

graywolfslair.com

Terps are aromatic alkene alcohols, ethers and, ketones, et al, which go into solution with the alcohol at most temperatures.

Winterizing will separate the waxes and fats from the balance of the constituents like terpenes. You can also extract below about -50C and avoid picking them up in the first place.

10.2 Winterizing - GrayWolf's Lair

Winterizing is the term for redissolving a non polar extraction in a polar solvent and then lowering the temperature low and long enough for the […]

graywolfslair.com

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Thanks, that explains a lot. So you say the terpenes are alcohols, ethers, and ketones that will go into solution at most temperatures. Im assuming that means a lot of them will stay with the ethanol during winterization and not be caught in the filter with the waxes and fats. Will the terpenes also behave similar to the ethanol during evaporation?
So far ive had good success with winterizing rosin to make a concentrate that performs great in a cart with no additives but it seems im losing most of my terps.
For a hobbiest grower that doesnt have a large budget, what would be the best strategy for removing waxes and fats while keeping much of the terpenes? I have a vacuum pump and chamber and have also found i can reach temps below -50c in a well insulated container with dry ice. I also have the ability to build myself a rotovap pretty affordably if it will help in the process of keeping terpenes.

Most of the terpenes stay with the alcohol when you remove it. If you smell or taste it afterwards, you will find a "gin".

The easiest way to end up with the terpenes, is to use a low boiling point non polar solvent like butane/propane and extract below -50 C, so as to not pick up many waxes and lipids.

Fadedawg said:

Most of the terpenes stay with the alcohol when you remove it. If you smell or taste it afterwards, you will find a "gin".

The easiest way to end up with the terpenes, is to use a low boiling point non polar solvent like butane/propane and extract below -50 C, so as to not pick up many waxes and lipids.

Click to expand...

....sensei

Fadedawg said:

Most of the terpenes stay with the alcohol when you remove it. If you smell or taste it afterwards, you will find a "gin".

The easiest way to end up with the terpenes, is to use a low boiling point non polar solvent like butane/propane and extract below -50 C, so as to not pick up many waxes and lipids.

Click to expand...

wait, so you're saying if i was to recover my alcohol in a column after winterization, that recovered alcohol would contain the terpenes? So if using the alcohol over and over again, the concentration of terpenes will keep rising?

I don't know how much percentage loss I have, but I can definitely say that when I evap my alcohol extractions off there is lots of flavor and smell (flavinoids? and terps?) left in the final concentrate. Typically it tastes/smells exactly like the material it came from. Sometimes I will do the extraction on fresh frozen material and it literally tastes and smells like when you are harvesting the plant. I use no heat to evap, and rely on thin film evap with air flow. I'm also not starting with hash rosin, I'm starting with premium trim and/or small buds and just doing the alcohol extraction, freezing, filtering, and evaping.

Thundercat said:

I don't know how much percentage loss I have, but I can definitely say that when I evap my alcohol extractions off there is lots of flavor and smell (flavinoids? and terps?) left in the final concentrate. Typically it tastes/smells exactly like the material it came from. Sometimes I will do the extraction on fresh frozen material and it literally tastes and smells like when you are harvesting the plant. I use no heat to evap, and rely on thin film evap with air flow. I'm also not starting with hash rosin, I'm starting with premium trim and/or small buds and just doing the alcohol extraction, freezing, filtering, and evaping.

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im thinking i might try it that way if i dont do bho. pressing rosin and then winterizing is kinda pointless, might as well just extract with the alcohol in the first place. I think i will try it at super cold temps as mentioned to try and avoid picking up the waxes in the first place. Not hard to get alcohol to -50c in a small cooler with dry ice

DWCgrower406 said:

im thinking i might try it that way if i dont do bho. pressing rosin and then winterizing is kinda pointless, might as well just extract with the alcohol in the first place. I think i will try it at super cold temps as mentioned to try and avoid picking up the waxes in the first place. Not hard to get alcohol to -50c in a small cooler with dry ice

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I love super cold alcohol extraction. Its fast, clean, and results in a delicious concentrate in the end. The basic process I follow is in my sig line of my post. Its nothing super special, but works well in DIY conditions and for working at home.

Thundercat said:

I love super cold alcohol extraction. Its fast, clean, and results in a delicious concentrate in the end. The basic process I follow is in my sig line of my post. Its nothing super special, but works well in DIY conditions and for working at home.

Click to expand...

Decided to try out the cold extraction today on my pile of rosin chips. Dont expect to get much return, but its good practice since ive never done Qwet before. Had about 3 ounces of squished flower, my first flower pressing as well so im sure i left a fair amount of good stuff in the earlier chips when i was first getting the hang of it. wouldnt be surprised if i pull a few grams out of it with this wash. I cut up the chips and broke them up pretty good. They were all pressed in 90 micron bags which i included in the wash, i could see plenty of rosin stuck here and there on them. Threw the broken up chips/bags into large jar and into cooler with dry ice and bottle of everclear. After a couple hours my thermometer in cooler quit functioning at -55F and then i waited another hour. Covered the chips in jar with everclear, swirled around maybe 10 seconds, back into cooler for a minute, repeated a few times. Strained through steel mesh into fresh jar, then back into cooler a while, then another fresh jar with coffee filter in lid was placed in cooler standing up, poured a little at a time of the alcohol through. Needed like 5 coffee filters as they were clogging, maybe a good sign i was keeping everything cold enough to be caught. Everything stayed in the cooler during filter process, just opened lid for a few seconds at a time to reach in and pour one jar into the other filtered jar. Result so far is a very nice golden color alcohol, no hint of green pigment at all. Evaporating now with the dish sitting on my rosin press set to 100F and a fan blowing. I have vac pump for final purge.

DWCgrower406 said:

wait, so you're saying if i was to recover my alcohol in a column after winterization, that recovered alcohol would contain the terpenes? So if using the alcohol over and over again, the concentration of terpenes will keep rising?

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Yup. Until it reaches some saturation point.

Fadedawg said:

Yup. Until it reaches some saturation point.

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Does that mean if you extract with this terpene saturated alcohol that the resulting oil will have its terpenes intact? Tia

The different monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes have different boiling points, vapor pressures, dielectric constants, and affinity for alcohol, so probably not intact, but ostensibly you would end with more of them.

Exactly what is where.
Interesting read here: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsomega.7b00996