Abstract A relatively low cost double salt road deicer composition is provided which includes a preponderant quantity of calcium magnesium propionate (CMP), together with smaller quantities of calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) and related salts. The product is preferably made by inoculating a sugar substrate (e.g., glucose, xylose or the hydrolysis products of biomass or starch) with facultative bacteria, followed by fermentation under anoxic conditions at moderate temperatures (30°-37° C.) and pH (5-7) in order to yield an organic acid mixture; the mixture is then reacted with a source of magnesium and calcium cations such as dolomite to produce mixed salts, which are then recovered as a solid road deicer. The preferred inoculum is P. acidi-propionici, and the fermentation step can be carried out batch-wise or continuously.
A road deicer product produced by a method comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of carboxylic acids in water comprising propionic acid and acetic acid, said propionic acid being the preponderant acid of the acid fraction of said mixture; reacting said mixture with a source of calcium and magnesium cations to form a reaction product including respective quantities of calcium magnesium propionate end calcium magnesium acetate, said calcium magnesium propionate being present at a level of from about 50-75% by weight, and said calcium magnesium acetate being present at a level of from about 25-40% by weight; and recovering said reaction product as a solid road deicer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
108 words
A road deicer product produced by a method comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of carboxylic acids in water comprising propionic acid and acetic acid, said propionic acid being the preponderant acid of the acid fraction of said mixture; reacting said mixture with a source of calcium and magnesium cations to form a reaction product including respective quantities of calcium magnesium propionate end calcium magnesium acetate, said calcium magnesium propionate being present at a level of from about 50-75% by weight, and said calcium magnesium acetate being present at a level of from about 25-40% by weight; and recovering said reaction product as a solid road deicer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
A solid road deicer composition comprising respective quantities of calcium magnesium propionate and calcium magnesium acetate, said calcium magnesium propionate being present at a level from about 50-75% by weight and said calcium magnesium acetate being present at a level of from about 25-40% by weight.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A solid road deicer composition comprising respective quantities of calcium magnesium propionate and calcium magnesium acetate, said calcium magnesium propionate being present at a level from about 50-75% by weight and said calcium magnesium acetate being present at a level of from about 25-40% by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The composition of claim 2, said calcium magnesium propionate having a molar ratio of calcium to magnesium of from about 0.1:1 to 1:0.1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The composition of claim 2, including a quantity of calcium magnesium lactate therein.