Re: [DIYbio] What are some good, hydrophobic solvents I can LEGALLY buy?

 Nathan McCorkle : "Maybe Simon or someone could weigh in on if this is easily DIYable, but supercritical CO2 is a great Non-Polar (NP) solvent."

Perhaps, but at room temp, CO2 is liquid only under extremely high pressure (a few dozen atmospheres). You'd probably need an heavy-duty air tight pressurized chamber, but then how would you manually manipulate the stuff inside it?

NMcC "Depending on how edible/toxic you want the stuff to be (i.e. you're adding it to some cells down the line vs just doing spectroscopy), I know of quite a few easily obtainable solvents found at camping or home repair (hardware) or automotive stores."

I want to isolate cellular secretions and harvest intracellular components (which would kill them)

NMcC "Gasoline, diesel, kerosene, ethanol, methanol, limonene (sold as 100% citrus extract air freshener), Methy Ethyl Ketone, Acetone, Naptha, Toluene, Xylene, Mineral Spirits, White Gas (camping), Brake Parts Cleaner (acetone, toluene, methanol, CO2)"

Gasoline, diesel, kerosene, naptha, white gas and mineral spirits aren't pure enough; they're mixtures dozens/hundreds of hydrocarbons, some of which have extremely high boiling points. If you dissolve something in that, you're not getting it back out easily. Limonene also has an extremely high BP. Ethanol, methanol, limonene, methyl ethyl ketone and acetone are water-miscible; I need something that will form a layer with water, not mix with it.

And the aromatics you listed are in that category of reagents that I can't find a manufacturer that will sell to individuals.

Like I said, for purity and low BP, I think dichloromethane is my best bet, assuming those suppliers on Ebay sell to individuals.

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