Investigation of the Conditions for the Production of Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) Road Deicer in an Extractive Crystallization Process

Abstract

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) is considered as the best road deicer to replace the environmentally unacceptable NaCl and CaCl2. However, the high cost of CMA prohibits its widespread use. The present study is dealing with the investigation of a crystallization method for the production of deicing CMA crystals of desired physical properties and the elucidation of the conditions under which such a product can be formed. Extractive crystallization is promising for the low cost production of CMA crystals considering that acetic acid is produced by a biochemical method and removed from the fermentation broth in situ by organic extractant systems. In this method, this organic phase, which contains the acetate ions is contacted with an aqueous phase which is the source of calcium and magnesium ions. The extractive crystallization process resulted in the production of well-formed, large, and non-spherical crystals of calcium acetate (CA), magnesium acetate (MA), and calcium magnesium acetate double salt (CMADS). The crystal size was affected by the concentration of acetic acid in both the organic and aqueous phases, whereas the crystal type and hydration level were determined primarily by the acetic acid concentration in the aqueous phase. The molar ratio of the precursor salts (CaCO3/MgCO3) in the reaction mixture was found to be the major factor for determining the habit and Ca/Mg content of crystals. Crystallization of CMADS was favored at high concentrations of acetic acid in the aqueous phase and at higher temperatures as shown from supplementary evaporation-to-dryness experiments.