I have a question that I can't find the answer on the google machine about percentages..

[mitch96]

I'm making a alcohol and water extraction of Lions mane and Oyster mushrooms. I need to mix the ETOH extraction and the water extraction so I don't fall below 20% ETOH concentration. I suck at math and How would I figure this out?
I was thinking of just filling a graduated glass jar with the water extraction to 80% full and just top it off to to 100% with the ETOH. 80% water+20% ETOH=100% volume
Does that make sense?
Tnx
m

[PJMcK]

1. Don't forget to add the eye of newt and the dragon's blood

Just kidding, of course. What are you making?

[mitch96]

9. Ok into the weeds here.. Lions mane and Oyster mushrooms have the largest concentration

of Ergothioneine. Just curious if it works as stated. If it works, fine. If not it can't hurt you like some drugs. From the article:
It is said to have potent antioxidant activities. Mushroom or ERG consumption seems to provide significant prevention against oxidative stress.
It has been passed as safe by regulatory agencies, and may have value as a nutraceutical and antioxidant more generally.
Yeah, voodoo.....
but it keeps my mind moving and this geezer doesn't like playing bingo YMMV
m


https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7653990/

[sl8]

4. 20/100 is 20%

You're measuring the percentage alcohol in the (total) solution, not how how much alcohol compared to another ingredient.

[Chainfire]

3. It also depends on the actual proof of the alcohol that you are using.

For instance, if you were using 100 proof Vodka for your alcohol, (50% alcohol by volume) you would have to take that into consideration.

If I were doing the experiment, I would start with 100 proof liquor cut with and equal amount of water, that is going to get you very close.

[mitch96]

10. "100 proof liquor cut with and equal amount of water,"

100 proof is 50% etoh. Cut 50% with water would be 25%. that would work, yes?
The problem for the best extraction I'm using Everclear 151...75% etoh.
Cut with 50% of the water extraction would be 37.5% etoh, yes?
That's good enough for me...
m

[unblock]

5. There's chemistry involved too so your suggestion won't work

80ml water plus 20ml alcohol mixed together will make *less than* 100ml of combined liquid because of some weird hydrogen bonding effect I think.

So put 4 parts water in one container and 1 part alcohol in another, then combine them into a third. Repeat as necessary to fill the third.

Otherwise, you need a better chemistry than I can offer to calculate the volume contraction

[NNadir]

6. I really wouldn't worry too much about accuracy for this application.

You could buy 80 proof vodka (Polish or Ukrainian please not Russian) dilute it with an equal volume of water and be done with it. It's not clear even what 20% even means, for example, is it by weight, volume or molar.

These differences are close but not identical.

Extractions are more efficient when done serially. Suppose one has 120 ml of an extraction solvent. If one extracts three times with 40 ml, one will obtain more extracting than one time with all 120 ml.

I've done thousands of extractions in my career. I tried not to be a slob about it, but on the other hand, with analytical chemistry being an exception in some cases, there's not much value in being overly meticulous.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. Well, supposedly 1 liter of water and 1 liter of alcohol mix to form 1.8 liters of solution ...

It would probably be safer to measure out 20& EtOH first, then dilute with water. It's unlikely to be significantly different from what you want.

Do your instructions state 20 v/v or w/w? One is volume/volume, the other is weight/weight. And *why* can't it fall below 20%? It may turn out it's not that crucial.

And, honestly, why would anyone be making an extract of mushrooms ? These aren't hallucinogenic, apparently.

[Effete Snob]

8. Where are you getting 100% ethanol?

I doubt your ethanol is 100% ethanol.

[mitch96]

11. I did not say 100% etoh. Actually I'm using 75% etoh everclear found in the liquor store. nt

[Effete Snob]

12. Yes, you did say that....

"I was thinking of just filling a graduated glass jar with the water extraction to 80% full and just top it off to to 100% with the ETOH. 80% water+20% ETOH=100%"

If you are "topping off" with 20% of your ethanol solution to get "20% ethanol", you are inherently assuming that your "ethanol" is 100% ethanol, which it isn't.

What you are really doing (and we'll ignore the miscibility of water and alcohol for the moment) is:


80% water + 20% (75% etoh + 25% water)

You don't mix 80% water and 20% of a 75% ethanol solution and come up with 20% ethanol concentration.

In other words, that "20% ethanol" is only 15% ethanol (75 percent of the 20).

[mitch96]

13. I see you want to argue. I'm not playing that game. have a great day, good bye.. nt

[Effete Snob]

14. Ummm....

Q: "Does that make sense?"

A: "No, it does not make sense and here's why..."

Q: "You just want to argue"



You're welcome.