Are We Salting or Assaulting Our Roads?
It is clear that salt, also known as sodium chloride, should no longer be used on our roads in the winter months. The first two reasons why salt needs to stop being used are because salt negatively affects aquatic ecosystems and causes damage to vegetation. The third reason is because thankfully, there are alternatives that we can use, that would be benefiting us which we should use instead of sodium chloride.
To begin with, sodium chloride is detrimental to our aquatic ecosystems when it is used on our roads. Often, the salt works its way into many nearby lakes, rivers, streams, etc. and takes its toll. The chloride is a toxin to many forms of aquatic life, such as fish, macro invertebrates, insects, and amphibians. When salt is in the water, it releases toxic metals that may kill the nutrients and the dissolved oxygen in the water that the aquatic life depend on. When there are high levels of sodium chloride in the water, it can also kill important food sources for the aquatic life inside the particular body of water. The chloride in the salt is a danger to the lives of the species, as it poses a threat to their survival, growth, and/or reproduction.
Secondly, not only does the salt that cities use pose a threat to our aquatic ecosystems, it also poses a huge threat to our vegetation as well. When salt dissolves in water, it replaces important nutrients that all plants need to survive. The sodium ions separate from the chloride ions and the nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, nutrients that the plants need to survive, are replaced by the salt ions. When this happens, it can disturb the photosynthesis of the plant, or cause the plants to become stressed out. If plants continue to not receive nutrients, and continue to be stressed out, it typically leads to the death of that plant.
Finally, there is no need to be using sodium chloride on the roads when we have many other alternatives. Although it is more expensive, calcium chloride
To begin with, sodium chloride is detrimental to our aquatic ecosystems when it is used on our roads. Often, the salt works its way into many nearby lakes, rivers, streams, etc. and takes its toll. The chloride is a toxin to many forms of aquatic life, such as fish, macro invertebrates, insects, and amphibians. When salt is in the water, it releases toxic metals that may kill the nutrients and the dissolved oxygen in the water that the aquatic life depend on. When there are high levels of sodium chloride in the water, it can also kill important food sources for the aquatic life inside the particular body of water. The chloride in the salt is a danger to the lives of the species, as it poses a threat to their survival, growth, and/or reproduction.
Secondly, not only does the salt that cities use pose a threat to our aquatic ecosystems, it also poses a huge threat to our vegetation as well. When salt dissolves in water, it replaces important nutrients that all plants need to survive. The sodium ions separate from the chloride ions and the nutrients such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, nutrients that the plants need to survive, are replaced by the salt ions. When this happens, it can disturb the photosynthesis of the plant, or cause the plants to become stressed out. If plants continue to not receive nutrients, and continue to be stressed out, it typically leads to the death of that plant.
Finally, there is no need to be using sodium chloride on the roads when we have many other alternatives. Although it is more expensive, calcium chloride