Dust abatement and dust control products help people to ensure their good health, preserve the natural environment, and ensure the longevity of machinery and equipment. When you take a look at dust abatement products available out there, you will notice that there are two main options to consider for the best dust control: Calcium Chloride and magnesium chloride. It is important to figure out what the best product out of them for your use and go ahead with using the right one.
What exactly are dust abatement products?
Dust abatement products are capable of controlling floating matter in dust effectively. The very best professional dust control products available out there include magnesium chloride and calcium chloride. Continue to read and we will share more details about two of the most prominent dust control products available out there.
Using magnesium chloride as a dust suppressant
If you are looking for a dust abatement product that is capable of delivering higher performance, magnesium chloride is the best option available out there to consider. It comes along with a soil stabilization agent, which improves the life of gravel surfaces including roads. Magnesium chloride is an inorganic salt-based compound. It has two chloride ions and one magnesium ion. This compound is capable of absorbing moisture from the air and holding down the dust particles quite effectively.
Magnesium chloride is quite popular in the Western part of the United States as a dust suppressant. It can easily be sourced locally from the Great Salt Lake based in Utah. Moreover, there’s a possibility to go ahead and apply magnesium chloride in the form of liquid, pellets, and flakes. People have been using magnesium chloride as a dust suppressant for almost 100 years. However, the longevity of this method depends on traffic conditions, climate, and a few other factors.
Using calcium chloride as a dust suppressant
Calcium chloride is made out of natural brine deposits located underground. It is obtained from ammonia, limestone, and brine. Before applying as a dust abatement product, calcium chloride is processed into an odorless and colorless liquid. You can often see how calcium chloride is often being used on unpaved roads as a dust suppressant.
One of the best things about calcium chloride is that it has the ability to attract moisture from surrounding environments. It also provides an excellent moisture film when compared to plain water. On the other hand, it offers a lower vapor pressure, higher surface tension, and a lower freezing point. This unique combination allows magnesium chloride to keep unpaved surfaces damp. Moreover, you will be able to get the help of it to keep all small dust particles in place with ease.
Another unique quality that you can see in calcium chloride dust abatement products is that they tend to resist evaporation. Therefore, you may think about using them in areas where there is a high temperature. The same property would improve the effectiveness of the dust suppressant over time. That’s because the stability of the dust control product would increase along with time while preventing frost damage.
Calcium chloride vs magnesium chloride – What is the best dust abatement product?
Both calcium chloride and magnesium chloride are popular as dust suppressants. While keeping that in mind, let’s do a quick cross-comparison between these two products so that we can figure out the best option for them.
- Characteristics of the solution
Calcium chloride remains a liquid in dry and hot weather conditions. However, magnesium chloride would turn into a solid and provide very little protection against dust. If you are going to use the dust control product in a dry and hot environment, it is a good idea to stick to calcium chloride. Even though both these dust suppressants can deliver effective results by absorbing moisture out of the air, calcium chloride is the most effective solution available to consider in varied environments.
- Chemical concentration
All calcium chloride-based dust control products are available to you in high concentrations. In other words, you will need more magnesium chloride to control. If you want to use very little dust control product, calcium chloride is the right option available to consider.
- Price
You can see a clear difference in the price of calcium chloride and magnesium chloride. In fact, magnesium chloride is available to you at a lower price tag when compared to calcium chloride. However, both these are cheap in general when compared to other dust suppressants available for purchase in the market.
- Environmental safety
Chloride based dust control products are in a position to harm soil and vegetation. However, magnesium chloride based dust control products is proven to be safe for animals, people, water, and plants. Based on this, you may think about using magnesium chloride dust control solutions in wetlands and sensitive watershed locations. That’s because it will not disrupt the natural habitats around the area where you use the dust suppressant.
- Corrosiveness
Magnesium chloride-based dust control products is more corrosive when compared to calcium chloride based dust control products. Hence, you should think twice before you use magnesium chloride dust control products in areas where you often drive vehicles. They can create a negative impact on the longevity of the vehicles. Hence, it is a good idea to stick to magnesium chloride dust suppressants.
Final words
Now you have a clear overall understanding of the differences between calcium chloride and magnesium chloride-based dust control products. You may keep these facts in mind and figure out the best dust control product available to be used in construction sites, agriculture, and roads. Always be mindful of the level of safety that they offer to plants, humans, animals, equipment, and machinery in the surroundings. Then you can end up purchasing the right dust control product available for purchase out there in the market.
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