Colombian researchers develop method to separate THC from cannabis while preserving other cannabinoids

Developed by researchers at the National University of Colombia, a new study presents an effective solution for obtaining cannabis extracts without tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of the plant. The research, published in the Journal of Chromatography, preserved other therapeutic cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol (CBD), maintaining its medicinal potential.

The scientific team implemented a centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) system—a technique that allows processing large volumes without degrading sensitive compounds.

During testing, the researchers managed to process 800 grams of cannabis extract in 9 hours and 50 minutes, separating THC from the mother liquor (a byproduct of CBD crystallization). As a result, 613 grams of broad-spectrum extract (with only 0.02% THC) were obtained.

In addition to the efficient separation of THC, it was possible to recover 97% of cannabichromene (CBC) and concentrate THC in other fractions, which may be useful for future research on psychoactive cannabis compounds.

Among the notable technical advantages are its scalability and high efficiency (77%). However, the high solvent consumption poses an environmental and operational challenge, which the authors acknowledge, although they note it can be mitigated through appropriate recovery systems in industrial settings.

Laboratory Tests

To achieve THC separation, the scientists used a mixture of three common liquids: heptane (organic solvent), ethanol (alcohol), and water. With the help of ASPEN Plus software, different proportions of these substances were simulated to determine which combination offered the most efficient separation of THC from the rest of the cannabis extract.

Four different combinations were tested. Two of them advanced to laboratory testing. The most effective formula used 4.6 parts of heptane, 3.5 parts of ethanol, and 1 part of water.