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Browsing by Subject "Road salt"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Assessment of Ecological Materials as Alternative Abrasives and Deicers for Winter Road Maintenance and Water Resource Protection
    (2022-10) Graeber, Caitlin
    The use of chloride-based salt as a deicer for winter road maintenance hasbeen a longstanding practice throughout the state of Minnesota and the country. However, once chloride enters the water, it is not naturally broken down, transformed, or removed from the environment, resulting in accumulation in the watershed and detrimental ecological and water quality impacts in freshwater systems. In order to protect freshwater resources and to prevent this issue from worsening with time, an alternative method for providing sustainable and effective winter road maintenance is needed. In some cold regions of Minnesota, sand is mixed with salt as an abrasive to provide additional traction to the roads, however its effectiveness is not well established. This study aimed to investigate the potential of regionally available organic and inorganic industrial byproducts as alternatives to conventional sand and salts. Candidate materials include corn grit, timber waste, and taconite waste rocks local to Minnesota. Chemical and physical properties of the materials were characterized, including material elemental composition, morphology, particle size distribution, sorption capacity, and specific gravity to establish a foundational understanding of the material. Skid resistance tests and environmental impact assessments were performed to evaluate traction effectiveness and material safety. Based on these results, a recommendation for potential use was made. The results showed potential for corn grit to be used as a sorbent for salt brine deicer with less salt impact and for waste rock to be used as an abrasive in the realm of winter road maintenance. This work may provide potential new material for winter road maintenance as well as a streamlined method for evaluating potential abrasives/deicers, valuable for expediting future studies of alternative materials.
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    Study of Environmental Effects of De-Icing Salt on Water Quality in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area, Minnesota
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2008-09) Stefan, Heinz; Novotny, Eric; Sander, Andrew; Mohseni, Omid
    A study was conducted to generate knowledge on the environmental effects of de-icing salt, particularly sodium chloride (NaCl), on water quality in Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA). The Mississippi River receives substantial sodium chloride inputs from the Minnesota River and waste water treatment plants as it passes through the TCMA. In addition, road salt applications in the TCMA use about 350,000 short tons of NaCl every year. A chloride budget at the scale of the TCMA and on individual sub-watersheds in the TCMA indicates that about 70% of the road salt applied in the TCMA is not carried away by the Mississippi River. Rates of seasonal road salt use are correlated with snowfall, road miles and population. Salinity in TCMA lakes increases in winter and decreases in summer. Ionic composition of dissolved substances in lakes of the TCMA suggests unnaturally high sodium and chloride concentrations compared to lakes and other water bodies in the Midwestern U.S. Data indicate a rising trend in urban lake water salinity over the last 30 years. Shallow groundwater in the TCMA, especially near major roadways, has started to show increasing chloride concentrations. Salinity trends in lakes and shallow aquifers of the TCMA are of concern.