Table summarizing of properties of deicing agents
Link to this table
| Category | Type | Lowest Practical Melting Temperature 1,2 | Potential for corrosion impairment3 | Environmental Impact3 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric Corrosion to Metals | Concrete Matrix | Concrete Reinforcing | Water Quality/Aquatic Live | 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 | 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 | 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 pate 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | -15°F | Low/moderate; Potential to initiate and accelerate corrosion due to elevated conductivity | Low; probably little or no effect | High: Organic content leading to oxygen demand | Low: Leads to reduced abrasives use | ||||
| 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 | ||||||||