Environmental Impacts of Potassium Acetate as a Road Salt Alternative (University of Minnesota) Status: CompleteReport Date: 09/06/2022 Summary: Road salt (NaCl) is used predominantly across the state for winter road anti-icing (as brine) and de-icing (as a solid) operations because it is inexpensive and effective. But the thousands of tons used annually have resulted in increasing chloride concentrations of surface water bodies throughout Minnesota. In many cases, chloride concentrations are above regulatory limits, which results in the loss of aquatic biota and the water body being labeled as impaired. Thus, there is a need for one or more road salt alternatives (RSAs) that are effective, relatively inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. Researchers investigated the environmental impacts of potassium acetate (Kac), which is effective at lower temperatures than most other potential RSAs and is also less corrosive to steel than conventional road salt. Field measurements indicate that current applications of KAc do not have a substantial influence on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and microbiological water quality in Lake Superior. However, KAc concentrations due to application to 25% of the roads in the Miller Creek watershed are predicted to be above the toxic limit for water fleas. This research demonstrated that KAc could be used in the most precarious winter driving safety locations, but not over all watershed roads or for all storms. Acetate could be used as a general organic anti-icer, but in combination with another cation, such as sodium or magnesium. Final Deliverables: Report #2022-27A Research Summary Related Materials: Finding alternatives to road salt as water contamination grows - (News/Publication Article) Related Research: Environmental Field Evaluation of Potassium Acetate (Iowa State University) TRS: Alternative Deicers for Snow and Ice Control District 1 Alternative De-Icing Chemical-Potassium Acetate Environmental Field Evaluation of Potassium Acetate (KAc)
