ALTERNATIVES TO SODIUM CHLORIDE FOR HIGHWAY DEICING (ABRIDGMENT)
A search has been made for road deicing chemicals to replace sodium chloride (NaCl). The impetus for this search stems from the numerous drawbacks associated with the current extensive use of NaCl as a road deicer. All classes of chemical compounds were reviewed. Deletions were made on the basis of such pertinent criteria as water solubility and freezing-point lowering, corrosion, toxicity, flammability, relative cost or cost potential, and effect on soils, plants, and water supplies. Low molecular weight and high solubility were primary qualifications. Waste products were considered as possible raw-material sources. Two candidate deicers have been selected that, if used, would result in total costs of about one-half those associated with the use of NaCl. Both materials can be made from waste cellulose. Neither is corrosive. One of them, methanol, reacts almost immediately on contact with snow and ice but is less persistent than the other candidate or than NaCl. The other candidate, calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), acts at about the same rate as NaCI in the temperature range of common activity and shows about the same persistence. In strong contrast to NaCl, CMA is a corrosion inhibitor, is beneficial to most soils, and has no potential to harm drinking supplies.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309031214
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Supplemental Notes:
- Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Winter Maintenance. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
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Corporate Authors:
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Authors:
- Dunn, S A
- Schenk, R U
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Conference:
- 60th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
- Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
- Date: 1981-1-12 to 1981-1-16
- Publication Date: 1980
Media Info
- Features: References;
- Pagination: p. 12-15
- Monograph Title: GUIDEWAY SNOW AND ICE CONTROL AND ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Record
- Issue Number: 776
- Publisher: Transportation Research Board
- ISSN: 0361-1981
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Acetates; Alternatives analysis; Calcium compounds; Corrosion; Deicing chemicals; Environmental impacts; Flammability; Magnesium compounds; Methanol; Sodium chloride; Toxicity
- Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I62: Winter Maintenance;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00334200
- Record Type: Publication
- ISBN: 0309031214
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Oct 28 1981 12:00AM