Benzene: Thoughts on the known carcinogen?

Mulchmaker

Veni Vidi Vapi
and with the lack of cellulose, concentrates might even be safer... :)
You would think that, but it isn't always the case. I'm about to run into a meeting. When I get out I'll post about the potential benzene risk from concentrates. Stay tuned!

EDIT (to avoid back-to-back posts):
Last fall, a group of chemists at Portland State University published a study that looked at the relationship between temperature and the production of benzene, isoprenes and methacrolein when dabbing. Here's a link to the complete study (it's a good read, if you're into stuff like this):

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.7b01130

Here's the gist of it: Above a certain temperature (somewhere between 350-400C, or 660-700F), terpenes break down into unpleasant compounds. Myrcene begets isoprene which begets methacrolein, and pinene (another tasty and beneficial terp) degrades into benzene. These temperatures are far higher than any of us uses for vaping herb, but they are solidly in the range of temperatures folks use when heating a dab rig to vape concentrates--especially cloud-chasers.

As to other concentrate devices? Beats me. I have no idea how hot the elements in various devices get, but I sure would like to know now. Those of you who enjoy your concentrates (personally, I prefer whole-flower) might be interested in acquiring more data.

Keep yourself safe, citizen. Keep that rig under 400C.
 
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