Color Remediation Column (CRC) cannabis is a concentrate that has been put through a modern post-extraction purification process. This technique involves filtering the crude extract to remove unwanted compounds and pigments, which changes the product’s color and clarity. The goal of this process is to transform darker, less appealing extracts into a lighter, more visually striking product that meets current consumer preferences.
Defining Color Remediation Technology
Color Remediation Column, or CRC, refers to a purification technique where cannabis extract is passed through a column or cartridge filled with specific adsorbent materials. This process occurs after the initial solvent-based extraction, such as butane hash oil (BHO) or ethanol extraction, but before the final solvent recovery stage. The primary motivation for using this technology is to improve the visual appeal of the concentrate, which may otherwise be dark, opaque, or heavily pigmented.
Crude cannabis extracts often contain undesirable substances like chlorophyll, lipids, waxes, and oxidation products that contribute to a dark color and harsh taste. By utilizing the CRC method, extractors remove these impurities, transforming the oil into a translucent, gold, or even white concentrate. This aesthetic transformation allows producers to market a visually cleaner product, often made from starting material that might otherwise be considered subpar.
The Filtering Media and Their Function
The effectiveness of the CRC process relies on a selection of inert filtering media packed inside the column, where they physically interact with the crude oil. These media often include bentonite clay, activated bleaching earth, silica gel, and activated charcoal. The scientific principle governing the purification is called adsorption, which involves unwanted molecules adhering to the surface of the solid media as the cannabis oil passes through.
Decolorizing Agents
Activated bleaching earth and bentonite clay are commonly used to decolorize the extract. They attract and trap large color bodies like chlorophyll and pheophytins.
Silica Gel
Silica gel, with its high surface area and polar nature, is employed to remove other polar molecules, including residual waxes and some oxidation products.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is effective at removing organic compounds and residual pesticides due to its highly porous structure and electrostatic attraction to various molecules.
By using these different media in sequence, extractors selectively separate impurities based on molecular polarity and size. This allows the desired cannabinoids and terpenes to pass through relatively unimpeded, resulting in a final oil that is cleaner and more refined than the crude extract that entered the column.
Quality, Safety, and Consumer Transparency
The application of CRC technology significantly impacts the final quality of the cannabis concentrate, leading to enhanced visual clarity and purity. A common concern, however, is the potential for the process to strip away desirable volatile compounds, such as flavorful terpenes. Although the goal is selective removal of impurities, the adsorption process can sometimes reduce the concentration of these aromatic molecules, resulting in a less flavorful product.
From a safety perspective, rigorous post-processing standards are required to prevent residual filtering media from contaminating the final product. Microscopic particles of substances like silica or clay must be fully filtered out of the oil. Additionally, like all solvent-based concentrates, a proper purge is necessary to ensure all residual solvents are completely removed.
Consumer transparency is important as CRC technology is widely used in the legal cannabis market. Since the process can upgrade the appearance of oil made from lower-quality starting material, clear labeling is necessary for informed purchasing decisions. Consumers seeking a full-spectrum product should be aware that highly refined, light-colored concentrates may have undergone this purification process.