Environment

“Road salt” is a common term used for some chloride salts, including sodium chloride (NaCl), which are used as de-icing agents on roads. The application of these de-icers on roads and other impervious surfaces in North America during winter months was in practice since the 1960s. The amount of snow fall is so high in these areas that snow and ice management becomes very essential to prevent road accidents, to maintain a continuous flow of traffic and to ensure safe pedestrian travel during winter months. Sodium chloride is the most commonly used de-icing agent (Road salting). Sometimes, it can be used along with some anti-caking agents like sodium hexacyanoferrate (II) or sand and grits. These elements like sodium, chloride, ferrocyanide and other impurities seep into our environment when the snow or ice melts, and poses a threat to water bodies, soil, vegetation and large number of species sustaining on them (Environmental, Health and Economic Impacts of Road Salt). De-icing of the roads is, beyond a doubt, very essential, as it saves lives by preventing accidents, but there are more alternatives other than the use of road salt which I will also explain. This research paper explains how road salt acts as a de-icing agent and what factors promote its widespread use. The primary aim of this paper is to give an elaborate idea about how road salt damages our environment. It also provides a list of some safer alternatives which can be used for de-icing.
Road salt does not allow the ice or snow to adhere to the pavement and form a hard pack. Sodium chloride can readily depress the freezing point of ice, so that the ice starts melting. Salt crystals can pull water molecules from ice crystals to form brine. The formation of brine facilitates the process of meting of ice. However, the rate of melting depends upon the temperature at that time. At temperatures below 15° F, sodium chloride cannot form solution efficiently; hence its efficiency is reduced. In fact, even if