Research on Environmental Impact of Spread De-Icing Salts

This article reports on research that was undertaken to study the relationship between the quantity of de-icing salts spread and the quantity that is scattered and run off from roads, the salinity of roadside soil, and the growth and damages to roadside plants. On the test section, solid sodium chloride (NaCl) was spread 20g/m2 or 30g/m2 for a total of 2,400g/m2 during the survey period. The weekly unit traffic volume was around 200,000 vehicles, including approximately 13% large trucks; the traveling speed was around 55km/hour. The weather conditions were: average air temperature of 3.4°C, average wind speed of 3.3m/s, total precipitation of 188.5mm, total snow depth 58mm and accumulated snow depth of 16mm. The authors found that, during the 8-week survey period, 72% of the de-icing material was run off to drain ditches, 20% was deposited, 2% adhered to motor vehicles, and the eventual location of the remaining 6% is unclear. The authors also conducted a survey of roadside soils at 42 locations along national highways where de-icing salts are spread. They found that damage to vegetation caused by saline soil was temporarily high, but well below 0.1% (the value that causes damage to the Japanese cedar tree which has low salinity tolerance). However, additional laboratory tests on vegetation sprayed with a saline solution showed that there was a tendency for damage if the salinity of the leaves exceeded a fixed value. One figure shows the different patterns of spraying and run off of de-icing salts; a second figure reports the quantity of de-icing salts scattered at different distances from the road shoulder.

• Record URL:
  http://publications.piarc.org/ressources/documents/RR345_WEB_Complet.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/31984593
• Authors:
  • Yamamoto, Y
  • Sone, S
  • Kimura, K
  • Namikawa, Y
• Publication Date: 2010-1

Language

• English
• French

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: pp 68-71
• Serial:
  • Routes/Roads
  • Issue Number: 345
  • Publisher: World Road Association (PIARC)
  • ISSN: 0004-556X
  • Serial URL: http://www.piarc.org/en/publications/Routes-Roads-Magazine/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Deicing; Deicing chemicals; Environmental impacts; Highway safety; Ice; Plants; Protection against environmental damage; Roadside flora and fauna; Runoff; Snow; Snow and ice control; Vegetation; Weather conditions; Winter
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01158031
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 30 2010 7:44AM