Investigating the efficiency of sea water and sugar beet molasses on reduction of dust from the forest roads (Case study: Koohmian Forest, Azadshahr)

The main problem of gravel forest roads is production of dust especially in summer. Dust leads to decrease sight distance and make trouble for tourists as well as the decline of road pavement and vegetation cover at edge of road. In this study the efficiency of anti-dust agents including different dosage of sugar beet molasses and sea water on reduction of dust from a road in Koohmian forest in Azadshahr of Golestan province was assessed.

At first a road with a length of 500 meters was separated into 8 segments each of with a length of 60 meters and then molasses (Including Sucrose, Potassium, Carbon with nitrogen, Thiamine and other organic compounds) and sea water (Including Chloride, Sodium, Sulfate, Magnesium and others) treatments with dosages of 10, 20 and 30% and control were separately performed on segments. Spray system was used to establish treatments and dustometer HAZ-DUST EPAM-5000 used to measure dust concentration. Dustometer is a stationary devise which is used to measure dust concentrations with particles diameter less or equal to 10 µm.

After the 3, 9 and 27 days from the implementation of treatments, results showed that emitted dust from the treated roads by different dosages of sugar beet molasses and sea water increased with time. Moreover, in each of times amount of emitted dust decreased with increasing of molasses and sea water dosages. After 27 days, molasses 20% and molasses 30% could only retain the dosage of PM10 in allowable range of 0-50μg m-3. Minimum amount of road dust was observed for molasses 30%.

Sea water didn’t influence on dust suppression to allowable amount of 50 μg due to the very low concentrations of sea water treatments. Minimum amount of road dust was observed for molasses 30% with amount of 21 μg m-3. Recent treatment can be selected as suitable case that farther researches is necessary for determining their longevity. Minimum amount of road dust was observed for molasses 30% with amount of 21 μg m-3. Recent treatment can be selected as suitable case that farther researches is necessary for determining their longevity.