Date:         Wed, 2 Apr 2003 08:13:29 -0800
Reply-To:     Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Alistair Bell <albell@UVIC.CA>
Subject:      Re: Your Van might just need a flush....was Van runs hot in
              traffic jams
Comments: To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@charter.net>
In-Reply-To:  <3E8AF912.2030607@charter.net>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

on 2/4/03 6:52 am, John Rodgers wrote:

> Good reasons for choosing a biodegradable coolant.
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>



Theoretically and actually, both polypropylene glycol and ethylene glycol
are biodegradable. Some carbon bonds there to use for energy!

How do I know? Well I have used both as a carbon source in bacterial
fermentation experiments years ago when involved in biodegradation of
de-icing fluids project.

The rub is... its an ill-defined consortium of bacteria (and maybe fungi)
isolated from chronically polluted ground that does the degrading.

So, if the weather is warm, and you can make a nice matrix of soil, well
aerated and kept moist, with some garden fertiliser, all on a impervious
"basin"...

:)


(extra points to those who can see one of the challenges bio-remediation of
de-icing fluids...hint, when are the fluids used? extra bonus points to
those who can guess what is often done with the recovered de-icing fluids,
no points to those who can guess what used to be done with de-icing fluids -
"gee mum, why is that creek still flowing in January?")


Alistair