Extraction Safety Moment – November 2013

CO2 is recognized by the food and drug industry as a non-toxic, non-flammable, non-explosive gas that is acceptable for use in biopharmaceutical facilities. That, however, does not mean that CO2 can be treated cavalierly. There have been a number of studies regarding how to use CO2 safely. For our industry, the most overlooked risk is asphyxiation due to improper ventilation. Because Supercritical and Subcritical CO2 Extractions utilize large amounts of CO2 during the extraction process it is important make sure that your facility is properly ventilated in case of an accidental or intentional CO2 release.

Below is a paper written by the UK’s Health Safety Executive (HSE). There are dozens of similar articles written for a cadre of intended audiences, but this one is the most recent that I could find. I recommend that the article below be the starting point of your research. It is important for your safety that you know everything possible about your extraction solvent.

At Apeks, we care about our customers’ safety.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/carboncapture/assets/docs/major-hazard-potential-carbon-dioxide.pdf

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