Recently purchased 2 litres of nicotine base just in case the laws change against us and have been deliberating as to how to best store it so it lasts as long as possible. I have read scores of articles as to how to store nicotine, what base lasts longest, and so forth until I got the point of confusion. So I made up my own mind using common sense and basic science knowledge.
If the 2 litres of nicotine base I have now is all I will ever get I figure it will make 20,000 ml of vapable juice. So how much vaping will I get from that?
2,200 x 10ML BOTTLES OF VAPABLE ejuice! (Assuming 6% nic and adding 10% flavour concentrate).
If 10ml lasts me a whole day I have enough nicotine to last 6.04 years for $100 USD!
There are only TWO things I require of my ejuice - to taste okay and to relieve nicotine cravings. Anything else is completely irrelevant! Colour, chemical structure, assay test results and concentration means nothing as long as it DOES THE JOB!
In order to make it last that long if I use common sense and my chemistry/microbiological background, I can eliminate or minimize the factors that can degrade my nicotine significantly.
1/. Oxygen (necessary for oxidation of any molecular compound).
2/. Light (catalyst that accelerates oxidation and/or molecular breakdown, if any, of the free-form nicotine).
3/. Heat (also a catalyst that does similar to above plus speeds up the growth of bugs).
4/. Sterilization of glass containers (to minimize the presence of introduced bacteria and other microbial flora.
5/. Decant the litre into lots of 100ml to reduce exposure by constant re-opening and closing of the litre bottle.
The reasoning for the above is as follows:
Store in glass amber glass bottles away from the light filled to the brim.Any residual oxygen present in the nicotine base or bubbles at the top will eventually be used up in a bit of oxidation as once all O2 is used up we have NO MORE oxidation!
Steam sterilize the glass bottles prior to filling to minimize the introduction of bacteria and other flora such as yeasts and fungi. There will be background flora present in the nicotine base as it comes from the supplier as I doubt they use sterilized base and/or nicotine concentrate, but this will minimize new introduced bugs.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer below 5 degrees celsius, Refrigeration will slow down bacterial growth significantly and breakdown of VG or PG. Storing below zero celsius will stop all bacterial growth completely.
Store in away from light in a dark place (refrigerator) to minimize exposure.
Store into smaller lots for use "as required" to minimize exposure to air and light by re-opening and closing.
If a tin of baked beans is still edible after 5 years if canned properly without refrigeration, don't you think the same would apply?
If I pull out my refrigerated nicotine base in three years and it has turned yellow, I am certain it will still taste like nicotine (bitter and not really a pleasant taste anyway), and I am absolutely confident it will take away any nicotine cravings I might still have.
Even if it has degraded by say 20% (highly unlikely) that just means I need to adjust the amount I put in to compensate for it as when all is said and done, it is what the nicotine does for me that is important, not colour or chemical assays test results!
I think some people are going overboard with their quest for the ultimate in nicotine base storage.
As long as my nicotine fulfils those two requirements, I will be a happy man and not have spent $25,000 on tobacco!
If the 2 litres of nicotine base I have now is all I will ever get I figure it will make 20,000 ml of vapable juice. So how much vaping will I get from that?
2,200 x 10ML BOTTLES OF VAPABLE ejuice! (Assuming 6% nic and adding 10% flavour concentrate).
If 10ml lasts me a whole day I have enough nicotine to last 6.04 years for $100 USD!
There are only TWO things I require of my ejuice - to taste okay and to relieve nicotine cravings. Anything else is completely irrelevant! Colour, chemical structure, assay test results and concentration means nothing as long as it DOES THE JOB!
In order to make it last that long if I use common sense and my chemistry/microbiological background, I can eliminate or minimize the factors that can degrade my nicotine significantly.
1/. Oxygen (necessary for oxidation of any molecular compound).
2/. Light (catalyst that accelerates oxidation and/or molecular breakdown, if any, of the free-form nicotine).
3/. Heat (also a catalyst that does similar to above plus speeds up the growth of bugs).
4/. Sterilization of glass containers (to minimize the presence of introduced bacteria and other microbial flora.
5/. Decant the litre into lots of 100ml to reduce exposure by constant re-opening and closing of the litre bottle.
The reasoning for the above is as follows:
Store in glass amber glass bottles away from the light filled to the brim.Any residual oxygen present in the nicotine base or bubbles at the top will eventually be used up in a bit of oxidation as once all O2 is used up we have NO MORE oxidation!
Steam sterilize the glass bottles prior to filling to minimize the introduction of bacteria and other flora such as yeasts and fungi. There will be background flora present in the nicotine base as it comes from the supplier as I doubt they use sterilized base and/or nicotine concentrate, but this will minimize new introduced bugs.
Store in the refrigerator or freezer below 5 degrees celsius, Refrigeration will slow down bacterial growth significantly and breakdown of VG or PG. Storing below zero celsius will stop all bacterial growth completely.
Store in away from light in a dark place (refrigerator) to minimize exposure.
Store into smaller lots for use "as required" to minimize exposure to air and light by re-opening and closing.
If a tin of baked beans is still edible after 5 years if canned properly without refrigeration, don't you think the same would apply?
If I pull out my refrigerated nicotine base in three years and it has turned yellow, I am certain it will still taste like nicotine (bitter and not really a pleasant taste anyway), and I am absolutely confident it will take away any nicotine cravings I might still have.
Even if it has degraded by say 20% (highly unlikely) that just means I need to adjust the amount I put in to compensate for it as when all is said and done, it is what the nicotine does for me that is important, not colour or chemical assays test results!
I think some people are going overboard with their quest for the ultimate in nicotine base storage.
As long as my nicotine fulfils those two requirements, I will be a happy man and not have spent $25,000 on tobacco!
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