Chemist checking in with some advice for DIY'ers. I DIY my own ADV and have for years now. By applying due diligence with regard to the chemical properties of nicotine, we can ensure two years of shelf life. Possibly more, though how long is a throw of the dice dependent on factors we have no control over (purity of the original compound, adjuncts, contaminants, etc.).
The KEY FACTORS in getting the longest legs out of your hoarded nicotine solutions is:
-Keep it COOL.
-Keep it DARK.
The refrigerator is the ideal storage solution for our nicotine. I don't believe the freezer affords any more protection than does refrigeration temps.
Inert gasses such as argon or nitrogen are frequently used to blanket bottled compounds which are prone to oxidation. This is a good old, tried and true method. Another is to simply reduce the head space in your decanted container.
Brown glass makes the best storage container. Too many plastics are reactive, glass not hardly at all (only with a few acids mostly). Brown is the best color as it filters out the spectra of ultraviolet light that initiate photo activity in most oxidizable compounds (always store your beer in brown bottles
).
Your nicotine may well last four years under optimum conditions. Don't count on it however. Nicotine is no longer considered "reagent grade" after two years, and is discarded in the lab after this time. If it were me (and it is
), stock up on a four year supply of nicotine, and plan on extracting your own or titrating down to zero after that.
Oh, f()@% the government!
