Calcium Magnesium Acetate and Sodium Chloride, Two Deicers, and their Effects on Water Quality Eileen Field Snow Hydrology, GEOG 5321

Deicing Technology Deicing of roadways has been used as a means to create a safe environment for travel Accident levels decrease after deicing

Sodium Chloride Used as a deicer since the 1930’s Has been known to be detrimental to water supplies Stored in dome such as this to help prevent leakage

Calcium Magnesium Acetate Currently sold by the Cryotech Deicing Technology Corporation Sold in a pelletized version that is hydrated to form a CMA solution

Eutectic Points for Deicers CMA and Sodium Chloride have different eutectic points Eutectic point is the lowest possible melting temperature for a given mixture of materials

Corrosion A problem with deicing technology is its ability to cause a corrosive reaction on metals to which it comes in contact CMA is less corrosive than Sodium Chloride

Deicing Studies The Effect of Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) Deicing Material on the Water Quality of Bear Creek, Clackamas County, Oregon, 1999 By Tanner and Wood, Water Resources Investigation No Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation of Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) By Horner, National Research Council Report 305, Washington, D.C.

Deicing Studies (cont) Effects of Calcium Magnesium Acetate, A Road Deicer, on the Lentic Environment In Interior Alaska; Rea and LaPerriere, 1985, Alaska Department of Transportation A Method of Predicting Road Salt Runoff in New Hampshire; Spear and Schiffman, 1975, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.

Tanner and Wood Study Assessed the effects of the addition of CMA into several ponds The biochemical oxygen demand, measure of the quantity of oxygen consumed by microorganisms during the decomposition or organic matter, for this study is listed

Horner Study The effects of the addition of CMA to eight ponds was assessed Percent of CMA exerted after five and twenty days is listed

Rea and LaPerriere Study Calcium ion concentration was found for several ponds that were tested Results are listed

Spear and Schiffman Study Due to ionic pulse action within the snowpack, Sodium concentrations exceed levels suggested by the American Heart Association Precipitation Amounts

Conclusion Sodium Chloride does have negative environment impacts based on its ability to contaminate groundwater Calcium Magnesium Acetate is a viable deicing alternative but it does cost as much as twenty times more than Sodium Chloride