Fundamental research on the effects of antifreeze agents on roadside environments Nakada, Masataka ; Nakaya, Takao
Language: English Language: French Series: ; topic IV-47Publication details: XIth international winter road congress 2002. Sapporo [Japan] / XIe congres international de la viabilite hivernale 2002, Sapporo [Japon]. Paper, 2002Description: 10 sSubject(s): Bibl.nr: VTI 2002.0071Location: Abstract: In the 1980s in Sendai City, road dust generated by the studded tires of vehicles was often spread around the city by the wind in early spring, and a phenomenon dubbed the "Sendai Desert" badly affected the daily civic life there, becoming a serious social problem. Under these circumstances, the Sendai Municipality has been spreading antifreeze agent on the major roads since 1983, as one of the measures to support "movements against studded tires." Meanwhile, the Municipality has been carrying out fundamental environmental impact assessments and collection of the necessary data for the last 18 years, in order to monitor existence of the negative secondary effects of antifreeze agent on roads. Generally, antifreeze agent blown by the winter wind and splashed up by passing vehicles is concentrated within three meters of the edge of a carriageway. Thus, in order to grasp the effects of the antifreeze agent on roadside trees, as an experiment, visual inspection of trees as well as measurement of the ingredients of antifreeze agent contained in the branches and leaves of trees and the adjacent soil have been carried out, and an outline of the results is the province of this paper. There were two types of trace effects from the antifreeze agent on roadside trees: (1) splashed antifreeze agent directly adhering to roadside trees, and its elements then permeating into the trees through stomata and gaps in the bark, and (2) splashed antifreeze agent first permeating and accumulating in the soil of a planted area, and then its elements being taken into the trees through the roots as they absorbed nourishment and moisture. However, stronger effects were observed in case (1), and interim conclusions have been reached on items such as the possibility of visual identification, the significant effect on the shrub genus, the varying effects by type of tree, and the limited effects on the large tree genus due to lesser adhesion of the antifreeze agent. In case (2), among the elements of antifreeze agent in the soil of a planted area of roadside trees, it is supposed that calcium decomposes, leaving limited remnants in the soil. On the other hand, a concern is that sodium and chlorine ions may not decompose, and remain in soil close to the surface. However, many cases were observed in which the effects of antifreeze agent on roadside trees were considered to be due to excess absorption of the elements of antifreeze agent splashed on and adhering to the trees.Current library | Call number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
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Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut | Available |
In the 1980s in Sendai City, road dust generated by the studded tires of vehicles was often spread around the city by the wind in early spring, and a phenomenon dubbed the "Sendai Desert" badly affected the daily civic life there, becoming a serious social problem. Under these circumstances, the Sendai Municipality has been spreading antifreeze agent on the major roads since 1983, as one of the measures to support "movements against studded tires." Meanwhile, the Municipality has been carrying out fundamental environmental impact assessments and collection of the necessary data for the last 18 years, in order to monitor existence of the negative secondary effects of antifreeze agent on roads. Generally, antifreeze agent blown by the winter wind and splashed up by passing vehicles is concentrated within three meters of the edge of a carriageway. Thus, in order to grasp the effects of the antifreeze agent on roadside trees, as an experiment, visual inspection of trees as well as measurement of the ingredients of antifreeze agent contained in the branches and leaves of trees and the adjacent soil have been carried out, and an outline of the results is the province of this paper. There were two types of trace effects from the antifreeze agent on roadside trees: (1) splashed antifreeze agent directly adhering to roadside trees, and its elements then permeating into the trees through stomata and gaps in the bark, and (2) splashed antifreeze agent first permeating and accumulating in the soil of a planted area, and then its elements being taken into the trees through the roots as they absorbed nourishment and moisture. However, stronger effects were observed in case (1), and interim conclusions have been reached on items such as the possibility of visual identification, the significant effect on the shrub genus, the varying effects by type of tree, and the limited effects on the large tree genus due to lesser adhesion of the antifreeze agent. In case (2), among the elements of antifreeze agent in the soil of a planted area of roadside trees, it is supposed that calcium decomposes, leaving limited remnants in the soil. On the other hand, a concern is that sodium and chlorine ions may not decompose, and remain in soil close to the surface. However, many cases were observed in which the effects of antifreeze agent on roadside trees were considered to be due to excess absorption of the elements of antifreeze agent splashed on and adhering to the trees.