Migration of alternative de-icers in unsaturated zone of aquifers--in vitro study.

The migration of organic de-icers in the shallow aquifers typical in Finland is not well known and we need to find solutions to minimise the negative impacts of de-icing on groundwater quality. The objective of the MIDAS project is to find de-icers which have the least harmful impacts on groundwater quality. Migration of sodium chloride as a tracer and five alternative de-icers in aquifers was studied. The alternative de-icers were calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium-magnesium-acetate, potassium acetate and potassium formate. The research consists of leaching of heavy metals from roadsides in the area of Highway 1 in southern Finland; an in vitro study, which represented the full length of winter at low temperatures; and the subsequent on-going field research in south-eastern Finland. So far, in our studies potassium formate caused fewer changes to the quality of the infiltrated water than the chlorides and acetates. After finishing the on-going research the results will be used to choose a preferred de-icer from the existing chemicals and for the development of new less harmful de-icers. The information will be used mainly in Scandinavia and North America where the hydrogeological conditions are similar to those in Finland.