Posted on 12/31/2009 7:58:33 AM PST by Daffynition
You may have seen this morning that CNN picked up a story out of Fort Wayne, Ind., on a new salt being used to melt ice on roadways, in parking lots, and other places where snow and ice pose a hazard.
The product, called Magic Salt, is a residue created during – and usually discarded after – the vodka distilling process.
The salt is said to be environmentally friendly and more effective than the road salt and other melting products used by municipalities and businesses.
Custom Lawn Scapes in North Syracuse is the only local dealer listed on Magic Salt's Web site.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at syracuse.com ...
Aside from contributing to the hangover you’ll have on New Year’s Day, Vodka has another useful function for you skiers and snowboarders who have to worry about clearing away snow and ice in your towns-—a byproduct of the Vodka distilling process is a salt that is apparently the best at melting away snow and ice. They sell it as “Magic Salt”. Heard of it? Use it? Check out this video below, and give it a minute to load:
And yet there’s still snow in Siberia.
Here’s a potential reason why I’ve never frozen.
Magic Salt, I’ll bet it’s magic.
I did a quick check of Magic Salt’s website and couldn’t find any data on what chemical compounds are actually in the stuff. One of the starting ingredients is a chloride salt. Chlorides can pollute ground and surface water. They claim it is biodegradable, but biodegradation usually involves consumption of oxygen, which will harm aquatic life like fish. Nothing in real life comes without a cost.
"...made from a patented blend of magnesium chloride and condensed distiller solubles. It is non-toxic, bio-degradable and has a corrosion index lower than distilled water."
There is another alternative deicer which contains no chlorides. It is calcium magnesium acetate, made by reacting dolomite (somewhat similar to limestone) with acetic acid made by fermenting corn sugar. Is is actually in use by some highway depts., IIRC.
Reminds me of the source for cream of tartar. ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.