SaltPile Galella (IMAGE)

University of Maryland

SaltPile Galella

Caption

Salt applied to roadways as a wintertime deicer has been shown to make significant contributions to increased salinity in freshwater streams in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. New research suggests that saltier water also liberates toxic metals and harmful nitrogen-containing compounds from streambeds and soils, creating dangerous "chemical cocktails" that can be more damaging than individual pollutants alone.

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Joseph Galella/University of Maryland

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