Title: Assessment of influence of anti-icing fluids based on ethylene and propylene glycol on environment and airport infrastructure

Authors: Anna Yakovlieva; Sergii Boichenko; Iryna Shkilniuk; Anatolii Bakhtyn; Utku Kale; András Nagy

Addresses: Scientific-Research Department, National Aviation University, Liubomyr Huzar Ave. 1, Kyiv, 03058, Ukraine ' Department of Heat Engineering and Energy Saving, Educational and Scientific Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management, National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute", Borshchahivska, 115, Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine ' Ukrainian Scientific-Research and Education Center of Chemmotology and Certification of Fuels, Lubricants and Technical Liquids, National Aviation University, Liubomyr Huzar Ave. 1, Kyiv, 03058, Ukraine ' Geoengineering Department, Educational and Scientific Institute of Energy Saving and Energy Management, National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Borshchahivska, 115, Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine ' Department of Aeronautics, Naval Architecture and Railway Vehicles, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Dunaújváros, Budapest, Hungary

Abstract: Snow, frost, and ice on the surface of aircraft negatively affect the aerodynamic and operational properties of aircraft. Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are the most commonly used components of anti-icing fluids for aircraft, which have a significant impact on the environment. The paper presents complex analytical review of a large number of domestic and foreign technical and regulatory information, which made it possible to carry out a comprehensive comparison of physical-chemical and operational properties of propylene and ethylene glycol-containing materials, to investigate their influence on components of ecosystems, including the human body. Comparative analysis of studies shows that propylene glycol is inert for living organisms and people. Ethylene glycol negatively affects reproductive function, metabolism, immune system and leads to a decrease in haemoglobin concentration. LD₅₀ value for ethylene glycol is more than 4 times lower than for propylene glycol. Propylene glycol fluid is more environmentally friendly due to low toxicity, increased biological decomposition under the same operating requirements. Basing on the systematised data the general strategy for minimising the negative effects of anti-icing and deicing fluids on the environment is considered and proposed.

Keywords: anti-icing fluid; deicing fluid; propylene glycol; ethylene glycol; aircraft; airfield; toxicity; biodegradation; LC50; chemical oxygen demand; COD; biological oxygen demand; BOD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSA.2022.120613

International Journal of Sustainable Aviation, 2022 Vol.8 No.1, pp.54 - 74

Received: 12 Mar 2021
Accepted: 20 Oct 2021
Published online: 28 Jan 2022 *

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