On NETs 1 - and a superior DIY WTA method

kinabaloo;11786803 said:

The ~1mg / g nicotine content listed on cigarettes / tobacco is that received from the smoke. There's ~10x more than that available in the tobacco for extraction (~1%).

If I am right that vaping is more mist than vapor, some fraction of the alkaloid salts would be inhaled; but what 'benefit' these might give I'm not sure (relative to free-base). Perhaps slower in effect ?

Looking forward to measurements, and an answer to the above.

My experience with NETs was that I could detect little in the way of nicotine, but a pronounced relaxing effect after a few minutes (maybe 5 or more - it was quite a while ago). And satiation.

So at least some of the alkaloids get into the 'vapor' and do have physiological effect.

Soaks are a form of WTA, just not that great. Do a dry residue test to get an indication - put some on a teaspoon and boil dry over a flame to see how much dry stuff remains on the spoon.

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For a superior method, that takes only a day (mostly waiting time), with a high yield and no contaminants (or minimal), see:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/tceight/1412-kitchen-wta-extraction-method.html

Heat the oil only to 100C if you like, or don't heat it at all - simpler but a bit less efficient (less yield).

See :

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-elimination-water-increases-reliability.html

for the enhancement.

No concentration beyond typical e-liquid; still needs some care - wash it off if anything gets on your skin.

It's a base-acid method in which tceight worked out how to maximise the solubility partition transfers using simple equipment and a well-designed approach.

Don't worry about the temp here, because while many organics will be extracted in step 1, only the alkaloids pass in step 2. Alkaloids are unique in being both organic and polar (*) - hence the 2 step base-acid method finally extracts only these. This is why it is the superior method. Coldness is only important absent second step (and that would require a non-polar organic solvent for step one, not ethanol).

Commercially they might use an organic solvent such as ether rather than mineral oil but it is essentially the same approach, with similar purity to be expected. That ultimately depends most on careful and patient handling.

* (Of the two, alkaloids prefer a polar solvent. In step one they migrate to the oil because it is more voluminous, and the water content diminished further by being turned to steam (if hot oil is used).)

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I'd say that WTA, no matter how extracted, is different in alkaloid profile from that in smoke (combusted toacco). It is more 'other' and might well be good blended with just nicotine liquid for that reason. All depends on what one prefers.

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