Amid a persistent deep freeze across southwestern Ontario and a concurrent scarcity of road salt in municipalities, there is a growing emphasis on exploring alternative methods for melting ice on roads.
Researchers at Western University initiated a study in 2022 to investigate this issue and are set to unveil the study findings later this summer.
The study is exploring nine diverse substances, evaluating their ice-melting capabilities in various conditions.
Christopher Power, an associate professor involved in the study, highlighted that sodium chloride (commonly known as rock salt) has been the preferred choice for Ontario municipalities, primarily due to its cost-efficiency.
Salt’s Environmental Impact
Power explained that rock salt effectively clears ice by reducing the freezing point of water, melting existing ice and preventing new ice formation.
However, rock salt has well-documented drawbacks, including its corrosive nature, which can reduce the lifespan of metal structures near roads, such as vehicles, bridges, and guardrails.
There are also environmental concerns as a significant amount of the salt applied on roads eventually ends up in water bodies like rivers, streams, and the Great Lakes, posing a threat to freshwater ecosystems due to rapid salinization.
Power warned that if the current trend continues, the Great Lakes could face substantial harm from saltwater intrusion, impacting the local environment adversely.
Moreover, Power noted that rock salt’s efficacy diminishes at temperatures around -10°C.
Among the alternative ice-melting substances under examination at Western University, some, like sodium acetate and beet juice, are already in use for melting ice in various applications.
As part of the research, different areas of Western University’s campus were cordoned off for the grounds crew to experiment with various substances for ice removal.
While the study phase is complete, Power and his team are currently analyzing the data, focusing on the melting efficiency and corrosiveness of each substance.
