Extraction of Cannabinoids from Plant Waxes

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Stellenbosch University has developed a novel solvent-based process for extracting cannabinoids directly from plant-wax waste streams generated during industrial processing. The method uses a simple but effective combination of two immiscible solvents, one non-polar and one polar. Because these solvents naturally separate, they efficiently pull cannabinoids into one phase while leaving unwanted waxes in the other.
After this initial separation, the cannabinoid-rich solvent is treated with an antisolvent, which causes the cannabinoids to precipitate out as solids. These can then be collected and purified with minimal processing steps. The entire workflow operates at room temperature, provides clean and rapid phase separation, and supports solvent recycling, making it practical and cost-efficient at scale.
This approach offers a valuable opportunity for industry: it turns low-value wax waste into a secondary source of cannabinoids, improving overall extraction yield and creating new economic value in existing production streams.