I am wondering if Rechochem Xylène was safe to use, also if their ..Lacquer Thinner was safe to use as Toluene, I found this description of the solvent but am not sure what those ingredients are.. http://ilrc.ucf.edu/samp...detail.php?sample_id=532

Thanks for reading!

Please refrain from posting brand names.
A little research would have provided you with the information your asking about.

The contents of that particular solvent are not anything out of the ordinary & can all be used in one way or another to extract spice, but not mixed together like that.

Next time look for the msds before you buy a particular brand. It usually labels what is in it clearly.

Maybe go for a pure xylene or tolulene if you want full spectrum or naphtha (light pertoleum distillates or hydrotreated light petroleum distilliates) if you want a cleaner product.

The main difference between toluene (and xylene) and "naphta" is the fact that the naphta is supposed to be low on aromatics. Toluene and xylene are all aromatic hydrocarbons. You cannot freeze precipitate from these, because they are too good a solvent for tryptamines. You will either have to completely evaporate (ugly) or back extract with vinegar to get at the alkaloids. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are what you want for freeze precipitations. These can be found in any product that is described as a "dearomatized petroleum destillate". The terms "hydrotreated" and "desulfurated" or "desulfurized" are also a good signs.

You should always at least do an evaporation test on unknown solvents. Get a glass bowl, make sure that it is ultra clean and then evaporate a small layer of solvent from it. If the solvent is clean, there should be no residue remaining.

SWIM recently tested the well-known Z***o fluid (Distillates (petroleum)) as well as so-called wash-benzine (Hydrocarbons, C7-C9, N-Alkanes, Isoalkanes, Cyclics, e.g.). Could also post EINECS / CAS codes of these chemicals but not sure if it is allowed here. The wash bensin is cheaper and more easily available. The composition seems suitable (no aromathics mentioned) so this remains to be tested.

SWIM made two evaporation tests with 80 ml of the wash bensin. This looks like a sufficient amount. No residue was visible by eye. Evaporation test for 5ml of the Z***o fluid on a small evaporation dish did not leave any visible residue either. Warming up the glasses with a lighter created minor steam coming up from the glass but this did not smell and appeared like H20 steam so perhaps it was just humidity.

The first concern now is: any comments on how reliable the evaporation test is - are there common dangerous residues that are not visible by eye and do not smell? Would it be more a rule or an exception that there are dangerous residues in such house-hold wash bensins (this sort of prior information has some value). Or is it really relatively safe to assume that the solvent is clean if there is no visible residue.

And then an essential technical clarification: Is there an optimal minimum amount of the solvent that would be recommended for evaporation test? Is already 5ml without residue sufficient, or would it be clearly better to do the test with 50ml or more? There is no clear answer but would be useful to hear how much solvent is commonly used for successful evap test.