Pasta Base (Coca Paste)
Definition
The intermediate product in cocaine extraction: cocaine sulphate precipitated from the acid-wash aqueous layer after solvent extraction, at 40-90 per cent purity. Also called pasta basica or sulfato de cocaina.
- Stage
- Intermediate cocaine extraction product
- Composition
- Cocaine sulphate
- Purity range
- 40 to 90 percent
- Alternate names
- Pasta basica, sulfato de cocaina
Common questions
Where does pasta base fit in the cocaine production process?+
It is the crude intermediate precipitated from the acid-wash aqueous layer after initial solvent extraction of coca leaf, produced before further purification into cocaine hydrochloride.
Why is purity so variable in pasta base?+
Purity depends heavily on the extraction technique and the solvents and reagents used at small clandestine labs, and on how thoroughly plant material and other alkaloids were removed during processing.
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