Cold water extraction
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Cold water extraction is the process whereby a substance is extracted from a mixture via cold water.
The process generally involves taking a mixture of substances, and dissolving them into warm water, and then cooling the mixture. The insoluble compounds precipitate out of the water, while the soluble ones stay dissolved; thus extracting one from the other. This process works because some substances' solubility in water varies with temperature, enabling one to dissolve a compound in hot water and extract it as the mixture cools down.
[edit] Opiate extraction
In many countries tablets are available over the counter that contain aspirin, paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen in combination with codeine, an opiate. Cold water extraction of codeine from these painkiller tablets has become popular amongst recreational drug users as it speeds up absorption and reduces hepatotoxicity caused by paracetamol and gastrointestinal irritation caused by aspirin or ibuprofen. The method is also used to extract hydrocodone and oxycodone from similar (usually prescription-only) compounds.
This use of this process has in part led to tighter enforcement by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of prescription drug laws involving opiates in the USA as the number of recreational users of opiates has increased in the teen and adult age groups.[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Separation of selenium compounds by CE-ICP-MS in dynamically coated capillaries applied to selenized yeast samples, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2004, 19, 143 - 148
