sodium hydroxide problem ?

[nemesis]

Hello ! Tried mimosa extraction for the first time. i ve left the naphta in a plate evaporating like 3 hours ago. I can already observe there are little crystals like rocks of salt , a lot right now ! is this normal ?? can it be sodium hydroxide ??

 

[alert]

It isn't sodium hydroxide assuming you let your layers separate completely and cleanly decanted off the naphtha with no basic soup contamination. Sodium hydroxide isn't soluble is naphtha. It is normal to see crystals before the naphtha is done evaporating but in my experience they don't look like rock salt, but I guess that is subjective.

If due to sloppy labwork you are worried their may be some basic contamination you can simply reheat the solvent to redissolve the DMT and do a sodium carbonate wash on it.

 

[nemesis]

no not really like salt crystals , more like flaky scalp. How can i assure it s clean ? can u be more specific ?

 

[alert]

How can i assure it s clean ? can u be more specific ?

When you decanted your solvent from the basic mix was it contaminated at all? Or had the layers separated 100%? If you only removed the naphtha along with none of the basic soup you are fine.

 

[nemesis]

it wasn t contaminated. it has separated nice !

 

[alert]

Then you have DMT crystals and not lye :thumb_up:

 

[nemesis]

ok thanks

 

[magic9]

it is DMT. i had the same thing happen. looked like a build up of salt.