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
| 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 | 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)