Excellent. Now all I need is a Bunsen burner.

We wiped the crap off the rubber yesterday anyway. If someone knows where
else to look where I can easily grab a sample, might you know of someone
with an interest in chemistry -- preferably with an assistant named
"Beaker," -- who might be able to provide a cheap and cheerful analysis?

The Oregon Dept. of Transportation assures us that their deicer is
less-corrosive than NaCl (see
http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp?mainNav=RoadConditions&staticNav=WinRoadMain
, where they say that,

"While [sodium chloride] is an effective tool for melting snow and ice, it
also causes severe rust damage to vehicles, degrades the road surface,
corrodes bridges, and may harm roadside vegetation."

and

"It is recommended to wash vehicles regularly ... even though the
magnesium chloride product contains a corrosion inhibitor, it still can
cause corrosion. Regularly wash vehicles to remove anti-icer/deicer
liquid, sanding and road dirt encountered during winter months."

Need to find a car wash with belly wash equipment.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
Bend, OR
KG6RCR

On 8/24/2009 12:05 PM Kim Brennan wrote:

> Since Vern offered up that Bend uses Magnesium Chloride, I'll update the
> flame test info....magnesium chloride has no color in the flame test
> (neither magnesium nor chlorine, excite electrons in the visible
> spectrum.) Sodium does. That's why the flame test is an easy way to
> distinguish between sodium chloride (white powder) and magnesium
> chloride (white powder.) Both are also easily soluble in water.
>
>
> On Aug 24, 2009, at 2:27 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>
>> Thanks, Vern!
>>
>> I knew about the use (temporary, I think I read, due to availability) of
>> crushed basalt last winter. I didn't know that the red cinders had become
>> an air pollution issue. Bend is pretty dusty.
>>
>> Okay, back to the magnesium chloride and my Vanagon.
>
>