Table summarizing of properties of deicing agents

Table summarizing of properties of deicing agents. Aquatic toxicity is indicated as a relative value comparing the different deicers. See the footnote for more information on toxicity. Adapted from Local Road Research Board, 2012, Ketcham et al., 1996 and Levelton Consultants Ltd., 2008.
Link to this table

td> Relative aquatic toxicity: high

Category	Type	Lowest Practical Melting Pavement Temperature	Potential for corrosion impairment3			Environmental Impact
			Atmospheric Corrosion to Metals	Concrete Matrix	Concrete Reinforcing	Water Quality/Aquatic Life	Air Quality	Soils	Vegetation
Chloride Based Deicers	Sodium Chloride	15°F	High; will initiate and accelerate corrosion	Low/moderate; Will exacerbate scaling; low risk of paste attack	High: Will initiate corrosion of rebar	Moderate: Excessive chloride loading/metals contaminants; ferrocyanide additives; Relative aquatic toxicity: low	Low: Leads to reduced abrasives use	Moderate/High: Sodium accumulation breaks down soil structure and decreases permeability and soil stability; potential for metals to mobilize	High: Spray causes foliage damage; osmotic stress harms roots, chloride toxicosis
	Calcium Chloride	-20°F	High; Will initiate and accelerate corrosion; higher potential for corrosion related to hydroscopic properties	Low/moderate; Will exacerbate scaling; low risk of paste attack	High: Will initiate corrosion of rebar	Moderate: Excessive chloride loading; heavy metal contamination; Relative aquatic toxicity: low-moderate	Low: Leads to reduced abrasives use	Low/Moderate: Improves soil structure; increases permeability; potential for metals to mobilize	High: Spray causes foliage damage; osmotic stress harms roots, chloride toxicosis
	Magnesium Chloride	-10°F	High; Will initiate and accelerate corrosion; higher potential for corrosion related to hydroscopic properties	Moderate/high: Will exacerbate scaling; risk of paste deterioration from magnesium	High: Will initiate corrosion of rebar, evidence suggest MgCl2 has the highest potential for corrosion of chloride produces	Moderate: Excessive chloride loading; heavy metal contamination; Relative aquatic toxicity: moderate	Low: Leads to reduced abrasives	Low/Moderate: Improves soil structure; increases permeability; potential for metals to mobilize	High: Spray causes foliage damage; osmotic stress harms roots, chloride toxicosis
Acetate Based Deicers	Calcium Magnesium Acetate	20°F [1]	Low/moderate; Potential to initiate and accelerate corrosion due to elevated conductivity	Moderate/high: Will exacerbate scaling; risk of pate deterioration from magnesium reactions	Low; probably little or no effect	High: Organic content leading to oxygen demand; Relative aquatic toxicity: high	Low: Leads to reduced abrasives use	Low/Moderate: Improves soil structure; increases permeability; potential for metals to mobilize	Low: Little or no adverse effect; osmotic stress at high levels
	Potassium Acetate	-26°F [2]	Low/moderate; Potential to initiate and accelerate corrosion due to elevated conductivity	[3]	Low; probably little or no effect [4]	High: Organic content leading to oxygen demand	Low: Leads to reduced abrasives use; Relative aquatic toxicity: high
	Sodium Acetate	0°F [5]
Carbohydrates	Beet Juice	NA	Low; Potential to initiate and accelerate corrosion due to elevated conductivity clams of mitigation of corrosion require further evaluation	Low; Probably little or no effect	Low; Probably little or no effect; claims of mitigation of corrosion require further evaluation	High Organic matter leading to oxygen demand; nutrient enrichment by phosphorus and nitrogen; heavy metals	Low: Leads to reduced abrasive use	Low: Probably little or no effect; limited information available	Low: Probably little or no effect
	Molasses	NA
	Corn Syrup	NA

¹For detailed information on aquatic toxicity, see Determining the Aquatic Toxicity of Deicing Materials (Barr Engineering, 2013)